DOC IS MEMO FROM J.F.D. TO GOVERNOR DEWEY CONCERNING THE ITALIAN COLONIES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00031791
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: September 12, 2023
• Document Release Date: June 26, 2023
• Case Number: F-2021-01777
• Publication Date: April 1, 1948

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August 60 1948
Tot Governor Dewey
From: J.F.D.
have your memo of August 2nd, relating to the
Italian colonies. This is a most complicated matter, with
a histbry that goes back to'the first Council of Foreign
Alinisters meeting which I attended with Byrnes in September
1945.
The present position is that under the Italian peace
treaty either the Big Four (U.S., U.K., France and U.S.S.R.)
are to agree by this September on future disposition, or the
disposition will be determined by the United Nations General
Assembly.
This is turning out to be a bad way of solution
because the Soviet Union can and will block Big Four agree.-
went and throw the matter into the, Assembly, and in the
Assembly the Soviet Union can almost always get its way on
colonial matters, for the overwhelming majority of the members
are strongly against "colonialism. However, this �o-y* of solution
was agreed to at the Paris Conference attended by Senator
Vandenberg and it would .be unfair now to attack it in the
light of hindsight.
I am now studying the matter actively with the State
Department in connection with the i'orthcoming U4N# Assembly.
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The British would like to have a trusteeship in
Cyrenaica particularly as they must evacuate their position
in Egypt under their new treaty with Egypt. The British
would like to see us accept a trusteeship for Tripolitania
but this seems out of the question.
It is as near certain as anything can be that the
Assembly would not approve a British trusteeship* as the Assembly
is overwhelmingly against any extension of the British colonial
system. It would, I tbink�also oppose Italian trusteeship.
This'is also strongly opposed by the natives, and the British
through a war-time ChurcbillEden declaration are formally com-
mitted against putting the Senussi (of Libya) again under Italian
administration. The British are in occupation and will not use
their troops to subject the natives to Italian administration.
If an Italian administration should be determined upon, they would
probably withdraw their troops, leaving the Italians to fight for
control. Under the .peace treaty Italy does not have the military
strength to carry on such a fight, nor has it the economic re-
oources,
The only solutions which we could propose without giving
the Soviet a field day against us in the Assembly would be either
independence or a trusteeship by the United Nations as an organiza-
tion, with an advisory or administering group repregenting three or
four of the nations principally concerned, presumably U.K., France,
Italy and U.S,
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Under the circumstances, I have been inclined to favor
U.S, position before the Assembly which would advocate trustee-
ship by the United Nations through the Trusteeship Council with
an executive or advisory group. which would include Italy and try
to get the best possible opportunity for economic development and
emigration by Italians.
, Probably no definitive. solution can be arrived at at
this forthcoming Assembly, but certain lines 0f policy may have
to be discussed by the Assembly so that detailed preparatory work
can be carried forward by the Trusteeship Council after the
Assembly adjourns.
It is true that the Soviet have indicated that they
might support a proposal for Italian trusteeship, But it is
very doubtful that the Assembly would approve this and if they
did, it would open up fighting and give the Soviets the oppor-
tunity for intervention which has been the object of their
Palestine police.
I believe that if, as is probable, the Assembly opposed
Italian trusteeship, the Soviet would then switch to independence,
it would be carried. This would probably mean that the Italians
would be wholly driven out of their former colonies and that the
Soviet, as sponsors of independence would have a position in North
Africa which would be of great strategic value and enable them
further to stir up unrest in the French North African colonies,
The above deals with Libya (Cyrenaica and Tripolitania)'
which is the important colonial area. There is also Italian
Somaliland and Eritrea, which involve many additional complica-
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tions in relation to Egypt and Ethiopia, but these areas are
economically and strategically of less importance.
Under the circumstances, I think we could indicate
that we would seek a solution which would as far as possible
give the Italians an opportunity to realize emigration to,
and development of Libya, and particularly Tripolitania, but
that we opght not to commit ourselves to a program in favor
of Italy which would fail in the Assembly with very bad conse-
quentes both for Italy and for the Ua., U�S* and France.
JeFiD,
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