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May 22, 1947

Greek-Turkish Assistance Act

Truman signs the Greek-Turkish Assistance Act and orders its implementation

Politics
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Truman signed two documents that day: the assistance law, and an executive order telling the State Department how to run it.

22 May 1947: Public Law 75

President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 75 of the 80th Congress on 22 May 1947, formally authorizing United States assistance to Greece and Turkey.

The act authorized financial aid, civilian employees, a limited number of military advisers, transfers of articles and services, and training for Greek and Turkish personnel.

The ceiling was $400,000,000 — legal authority, not a same-day transfer.

And an executive order to run it

Truman simultaneously issued Executive Order 9857, delegating primary administrative authority to Secretary of State George C. Marshall and placing each country's aid activity under a chief of mission.

His first instruction after signing was for the U.S. ambassadors in Greece and Turkey to begin immediate negotiations on agreements governing the aid's use.

The money followed later

The appropriation itself came on 30 July. The fiscal-1948 allocation eventually gave $300,000,000 to Greece and $100,000,000 to Turkey.

Turkey was not fighting a communist civil war; aid there chiefly strengthened and modernized its armed forces under perceived Soviet pressure.

The law did not settle sovereignty over the Turkish Straits, which Turkey already controlled under the Montreux Convention.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 5 sources 2 audit passes

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