Developments of the Quarter: Comment and Chronology March 1 - May 31, 1947

Source: Middle East Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Jul., 1947), pp. 307-319
Published by: Middle East Institute
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4321891 .
Accessed: 02/05/2014 11:56
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Middle East Institute is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Middle East
Journal.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

EVELO

PM

QUARTER:
AND

ENTS

TH

COMMENT

CHRONOLOGY'
MARCH I-MAY

3, I1947

N CONSEQUENCEof an announcement tions, it was made abundantlyclear that the

by theBritishGovernment
that it would United States would pursue the underlying
not be able to continue its support of the principlesof the policy by whatevermeans
GreekGovernmentbeyondthe end of March appearedmost effective in each particular
I947, PresidentTrumanwent beforea joint
case. Thus the extension of financial assession of Congresson March I2 with a re- sistance to Greece and Turkey was essenquest that financialassistancein the amount tially a furtherapplicationof the principles
of $400,000,000 be extended to the govern- already followedin the Iranian dispute bementsof GreeceandTurkey.In the courseof fore the SecurityCouncilin 1946.
his address,the Presidentdeclaredthat "it
By the formulationof theseprinciplesin a
must be the policy of the United States to manner concrete enough to be termed a
support free peoples who are resistingat- "doctrine,"and by theirapplicationto Iran,
temptedsubjugationby armedminoritiesor Turkey, and Greece,the United States took
by outside pressures . . . we must assist the first steps toward evolving an over-all
free peoples to workout their own destinies policy in the MiddleEast. Its emphasiswas
in their own way . . . our help should be still largely negative from the point of view
primarily through economic and financial of the MiddleEasternstates themselves,for
aid which is essential to economicstability it was centered upon the exclusionof disand orderlypoliticalprocesses."
ruptive Russian communistinfluencefrom
Elaboratedby Acting Secretaryof State those states bordering Soviet-controlled
Dean Acheson in his testimony before the areas.The doctrine'smorepositivecorollary,
House and Senate Foreign Relations Com- that is, the promotionof political and ecomittees on March 20 and 24, and by the nomicstabilityin the MiddleEast itself, was
Departmentof State's answersto I Ii ques- explicit in President Truman'senunciation
tions submitted by membersof the Senate, of the policy but its workingout necessarily
these principlescame to be known as the wouldbe a matterof slow and long develop"TrumanDoctrine."2Althoughthe Depart- ment.
ment of State denied that similar requests
Owingto the fact that, althoughappliedin
would be supportedon behalf of other na- the Middle East, it was not primarilydirected towardthe MiddleEast, the Truman
'All items in the Chronology are drawn from the New Doctrine aroused no great responseamong
York Times unless otherwise indicated.
the Arab nations. Attention there was cur2 A complete file of the
documents pertaining to the rently focusedon
relationswith those EuroGreek-Turkish aid bill may be found in,"Aid to Greece
and Turkey: A Collection of State Papers," Department pean powers,notably Great Britain,already
of State Bulletin, Supplement, XVI, No. 40g A, May 4, establishedin the area.However,the evident
earnestnessof Americanoppositionto com'947.
307

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

308

THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

munism demonstratedthe determinationofthe United States to fulfillits role as a major

power,and to that extent boredue weight in
America'srelations with the Middle East.

Aden
CHRONOLOGY
'947
Apr. 15: Peter Davey, a political officerof the
Aden WesternProtectorate,was murderedby
tribesmen45 mileseast of Dhala.He was killed
whiletryingto arrestthe Sheikhof the Ahmedi
section in the Amir State, MuhammadIbn
Awas, who was also killed. (London Times,
Apr. I9, I947, page 3.)

Afghanistan
CHRONOLOGY
'947
Apr. i3: The USSR and Afghanistansigned an
agreementon wirelesscommunications.(London Times, Apr. 2I, 1947, page 4.)
Apr. 26: An Afghangroup,headed-byGen.Abdul
KayumKhan,met a Sovietgroupin Tashkent,
USSR,to discussthe demarcationof the frontier
betweenthe Soviet Union and Afghanistan.

ArabLeague
CHRONOLOGY

Egypt
The springmonths saw an ebbing of the
possibility of compromisebetween Egypt
and Great Britain over the questions of
evacuationof BritishtroopsfromEgypt and
the futurestatus of the Sudan.The resignation in Marchof Sir HubertHuddlestonand
the appointment of Sir Robert Howe as
of the Sudan indicateda
Governor-General
renewedattempt by the British to remove
all causes of irritation between themselves
and the Egyptians, but the door to further
treaty negotiationsappearedto be definitely
closed by the repeated pronouncementsof
Prime MinisterNuqrashiPasha that Egypt
wouldsubmitthe controversyto the Security
Councilof UN. The completionof the British
evacuation of Cairo, Alexandria,and the
Delta did little to appeasethe Egyptiansor
quellthe ferventoutbreaksof nationalistsentiment in denouncingthe 1936 Treaty of
Alliance.
In the preparationand presentation of
their case before the Security Council, the
Egyptianswere confrontedwith threeproblems: the establishmentof national agreement on the methodof presentingthe case;
the securingof ArabLeaguesupport;and the
building up of world sympathy. As the
quarterended and the time approachedfor
Egypt to presentits case, the Arab League
had expressedits willingnessto offersupport,
but such nationalagreementas was achieved
was basedon expediencyratherthan on any
meeting of minds, and the extent of worldwide sympathyremaineda matter of doubt
and speculation.

'947
Mar. 17: The seventhgeneralsessionof the Arab
League Council held its opening meeting in
Cairo.
CHRONOLOGY
Mar. 23: The Councilof the ArabLeaguepassed
a resolutiongivingsupportto Egypt'sdemands 1947
for independenceand its desire to submit its Mar. 3: Prime MinisterNuqrashiPasha ancase to UN.
nouncedthe decisionof the EgyptianGovernApr. I4: The Syrianand LebaneseGovernments mentto appealthe issuesof Egyptiansoverrequesteda meetingof the politicalcommittee
eignty over the Sudan and evacuationof
of the Arab League at Damascus for further
BritishtroopsfromEgyptto the UN Security
Council.(Fortext,seepage320.)
study of the Palestine case before the UN
meeting.
Initial Anglo-Egyptiantalks on sterling
Apr. 17: The political committee of the Arab
balanceswereconcludedwithoutfinalagreeLeague, meeting in Damascus, agreed to dement.(LondonTimes,Mar.4, I947, page4.)
over Pales- Mar.II: PrimeMinister
mand the end of Britain'smnandate
Nuqrashi
Pashatoldthe
tine at the UN meeting.
EgyptianSenatehe intendedto appealto the

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

309

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE QUARTER

Security Council to cancel the I936 AngloEgyptianTreatyandto forceBritainto remove

her troopsfromEgypt and the Sudan.
BritishPrime MinisterAttlee repliedin the
Houseof Commonsto NuqrashiPasha'sspeech
on the causes of the breakdownof AngloEgyptiannegotiations.(Fortext, see page320.)
Mar. i4: Prime Minister Nuqrashi Pasha announcedtherewouldbe no resumptionof talks
betweenEgypt and GreatBritain.
Mar. 16: Sir Robert Howe, Assistant UnderSecretary of the British Foreign Office, was
approvedby the EgyptianCabinetfor the post
of Governor-Generalof the Sudan replacing
Sir HubertHuddleston.
Mar. i8: An unoccupiedclassroomof the British
Institute was damagedby a small bomb.
Mar. 29: British evacuationof Cairo was completed two days ahead of schedule with the
removal of the last troops from Kasr al-Nil
barracks.
Mar. 30: The British Supply Mission in Cairo,
formedin OctoberI945 to take over the functions of the Middle East Supply Center, was
closed.(LondonTimes, Mar.3I, I947, page 5.)
Mar. 31: Egypt celebrated the evacuation of
British troops; the Egyptian flag was raised
over the Kasr al-Nil barracks.
Apr. 3: By a unanimousvote, the Egyptianmembers of the Anglo-EgyptianUnion (formedin
I937 to promotefriendlyrelationsbetweenthe
two countries)voted to disbandthe organization, the British membershaving previousto
this actionwithdrawnfromthe meeting.
Apr. 7-12: The 36th Conference of the Inter-

dents directedagainstforeignvisitors.
May 6: Four personswere killed and I2 injured
when a time bomb exploded in the Metro
cinemain Cairo.
May 7: Sir RobertHowe arrivedin Khartoumto
assumehis duties as Governor-General
of the
Sudan.(LondonTimes,May 8, I947, page 3.)
May 9: An EgyptianGovernmentrequestfor an
$88,ooo,oooloan fromthe U. S. was rejectedon
the groundsthat legal authorityfora long-term
stabilizationcreditwas lacking.
May so: The U. S. light cruiserDayton,the destroyersComptonand Gainard,and the aircraft
carrierLeytearrivedin the harborat Alexandria
for a stay of severaldays.
Abd al-SalamFahmi Jumah Pasha was appointedSecretary-General
of the Wafd Party.
May I2: The Italo-Egyptianagreementconcluded
in Paris SeptemberI946 was approvedby the
Constituent Assembly in Rome. Under the
agreementItaly is to pay reparationsto Egypt
of 4,500,000 pounds.(LondonTimes,May I3,
I 947, page 3.)
May I6: British Foreign Minister Bevin, in a
speech on foreign policy, stated that Britain
would make "no attempt to appease the
Egyptian Governmentat the expense of the
Sudanesepeople."(For text, see page 32I.)
May I8: Prime MinisterNuqrashiPasha, replying to BritishForeignMinisterBevin's speech
of May i6, called for the immediateand complete withdrawalof all Britishtroops,the unity
of the Nile Valley, and the terminationof the
I936 Treaty of Alliance. (For text, see page
322.)

ParliamentaryUnion held meetings in Cairo

with 24 nationsrepresented.
Apr. 13: Sabri Abu Alam Pasha, Secretary-

Generalof the WafdParty, died.

Apr. 19: The third Congressof the EgyptianSo-

ciety of InternationalLaw convenedin Alexandria. (7ournald'Egypte,Apr. 20, 2I, 23, I947.)

Apr. 20: Gen. Ibrahim Pasha Atalla, Chief of
Staffof the Egyptianarmy,arrivedin the U. S.
to tour militaryinstallations.
Some300 Britishsoldierson theirway to the
United Kingdomfrom the Sudanwere turned
back at the Egyptian frontier and forced to
embarkat Port Sudaninstead.
Apr. 24: Lieut. Gen. Sir Alan Cunningham,British High Commissionerfor Palestine, visited
BritishMiddleEast MilitaryHeadquartersat
Fayid in the Suez Canal Zone to conferwith
Gen. Sir Miles Dempsey, British Commander
in Chiefin the MiddleEast.
May j: PrimeMinisterNuqrashiPashain a radio
speechreprovedhis peoplefor the recent inci-

lndia
The major political developments in India
came in reaction to the British Government's

announcementon February20,

1947,

of its

intention to "take the necessary steps to effect the transference of power into responsible Indian hands by a date not later than
June, I948." Viscount Mountbatten, after
taking the oath of office as the new Viceroy
on March 24, at once set himself to the task
of ascertaining the degree of flexibility in the
apparent intransigence of the Moslem and
Hindu leaders. By the middle of May he was
ready with his suggestions, and was called to
London for the drafting of compromise proposals to be presented to the Indian leaders

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

3IO

THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

on June 2. The compromise involved the

recognition of a limited Pakistan set up on
the basis of a partition of the Punjab and
Bengal. The British Government looked
upon the proposal as second choice to the
plan for a unified India propounded by the
Cabinet Mission in the spring of I946, but
permissible if it served to effect the transfer
of power into "responsible Indian hands."
There were indications that the Working
Committee of the Congress Party would be
willing to accept this much of a concession to
the Moslem League. Gandhi, however, remained strongly opposed to any form of partition, even expressing the opinion that it
would be preferable for India to remain in
dominion status under the 1946 Cabinet
Mission proposal. Those Congress Party
leaders, notably Pandit Nehru and Sardar
Patel, who were willing to modify their insistence on a unified India were possibly
swayed by the continued violence of communal riots, which in the Punjab got completely out of hand. They possibly feared that
a prolongation of such disturbances might
persuade the British Government to postpone its announced date of withdrawal.
There may also have been the expectation
that a Pakistan set up in such restricted
form could not survive as an independent
entity, and that by compromise at this time
unity eventually might be attained.
Attempts under the guidance of Mohammed Ali Jinnah to establish immediate
Moslem rule in the predominantly Moslem
areas of the Punjab and the North-West
Frontier province ended in failure. The Moslem League's civil disobedience campaign in
the Punjab succeeded in bringing about the
resignation of the coalition ministry on
March 2, but the League's subsequent attempt to form a ministry was blocked by the
aroused opposition of the large Hindu and
Sikh minorities, and by its inability to unite
the whole Moslem population behind it. The
violence of the resultant rioting forced the
governor of the Punjab to proclaim Governor's Rule in the province. The experience
did not augur well for the League's ability to
control the Punjab should it be set up in its
entirety as part of Pakistan. Nevertheless
Jinnah, at least in his public utterances, still

steadfastlyrefusedto admit of any proposal

to partition the province.

CHRONOLOGY
1947
Mar. I: MohandasK. Gandhiannouncedhe
wouldcontinuehis walkingtourfor peacein
BiharProvince.
of theIndianPrincesand
Mar.2: Representatives
theConstituent
Assembly
agreedthatdelegates
from the PrincelyStates to the Assembly
wouldbe electedeitherby legislatures
or electoralcolleges.
In thePunjabthecoalitioncabinet(Congress
andUnionistparties)ofSirKhizarHiyatKhan
Ti
.wana resigned.

Mar.4: In the Punjab,the demandfor an allMoslemLeaguecabinetlead to rioting in

Lahore,causing30 deathsand47 injuredthe
firstday.
Sir KhizarHiyatKhanTiwanaresignedas
PrimeMinisterof PunjabProvince.
Mar.5: TheGovernor
tookoverthe administration of PunjabProvince,in accordance
with
Section93 of the Government
of India Act,
1935.

Mar.6:TheBritishHouseof Commons
approved
the Government's
decisionto withdrawfrom
IndianotlaterthanJuneI948.
Mar.7: Riotingin the Punjabspreadinto the
northern
partsof the province.
Mar.8: The Congress
Partyinvitedthe Moslem
Leagueto appointrepresentatives
to meetwith
Congress
to prepareforwithdrawal
spokesmen
of the BritishfromIndia.
Mar.9: Airborne
troopsarrivedin Punjabto try
to quelltherioting.
Mar. II: The ReserveBankof India issueda
notificationinstructingauthorizeddealersin
in Indianot to openlettersof
foreignexchange
credit expiringlater than July

IS,

1947, or to

extendexistingcreditsbeyondthat date.This
actionwasfollowedby anorderby the Import
TradeController
advancing
theexpiration
date
fromDec. 31, 1947, to June30, I947, on all
importlicensesexceptthosecoveringcapital
goods,capitalgoodsforpostwarreconstruction,
andheavyelectricalplants.(Foreign
Commerce
Weekly,Apr. 26, 1947, page I9.)
Mar. 72: Riotingbrokeout in North-West
Fron-

tier Province,wherethe MoslemLeaguehad

beenconducting
a civildisobedience
campaign
againsttheCongress
Ministry.(LondonTimes,
Mar. 13,

I947,

page 3.)

Mar.i4: PanditNehrutouredtheriot-tornareas
in Punjab.
Mar.15: PunjabGovernment
figureslistedI,036

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE QUARTER

killedand II 10 seriouslyinjuredin the Punjab

riots.
The Governmentof India cancellation of

OpenGeneralLicenseVIII of Sept. I2, I946,

becameeffective,meaningthat thereafteranyone importingany of the 92 itemslisted therein
must obtain an individualimportlicense.(Foreign Commerce
Weekly,Apr.5, 1947, pageI7.)
Mar. 17: MohammedAli Jinnah urgedmembers
of the MoslemLeaguein Punjab to co-operate
fully in the efforts to restore order in that
province.
Mar. i8: Afriditribesmentemporarilyprevented
movementthroughKhyberPass as an expressionof theirgrievanceagainstthe government's
decreasein their food subsidies.
Mar. *i: CongressPartymembersof the auxiliary
"Redshirts"went into Peshawarto attempt to
pacifyHindu, Moslem,and Sikh elements.
Mar. 21: Viscount Wavell, retiring Viceroy of
India, delivered his farewell message to the
peopleof India.
Mar. 23: The Asian RelationsConference,sponsored by the Indian Councilof WorldAffairs,
beganits meetingsin Delhi.
Renewedriotingbrokeout in Bombay.
Mar. 24: Viscount Mountbatten took office as
Governor-General
and Viceroy of India, succeedingViscountWavell.
Mar. 26: Communalriotingbrokeout in Calcutta.
Mar. 30: Calcutta riots continued; HinduMoslemriots in Bombaycaused40 deaths the
first day.
Mar. 31: Mohandas K. Gandhi discussed the
Indian situation with Viceroy Mountbatten,
beginninga series of conferencesbetween the
two men.
Apr. I: The Governmentof India inaugurateda
new export policy under which 25 per cent of
the total quota of certaincontrolledcommodities wouldbe reservedfor those enteringexport
businessfor the first time, and those also who
in the past had exportedonly commoditiesnot
subjectto control.(ForeignCommerce
Weekly,
May 24, I947, page IS.)
Apr. 3-4: Hindu-Moslemriotingspreadinto the
area aroundGurgaonin southeasternPunjab.
Apr. i: Acting Secretaryof State Dean Acheson
announcedthat Henry F. Gradyhad been appointedfirst U. S. Ambassadorto India.
Apr. 5: The Viceroybegana seriesof conferences
with MohammedAli Jinnah.
Apr. 8: The Premier of Hyderabadannounced
that his state hoped to enter an alliancewith
the future centralgovernmentof independent
India.
The LegislativeAssemblyrepealedsections

3II

4o and 41 of the Reserve Bank of India Act

whichmadeit compulsoryfor the ReserveBank

to buy and sell sterling for rupees at certain
fixed rates without limit of amount.This Delinking Bill thus severed the legal tie with
sterling and made the rupee an independent
currency.Though the Reserve Bank was thus
empowered to purchase any currencies, it
would continue to deal only in sterling until
clarificationof India's exchangeposition was
determinedfollowingsettlement of the country's sterlingbalances.Undernew amendments
the CentralGovernmentwill fix exchangerates
instead of the Reserve Bank. (ForeignCommerceWeekly,May IO, I947, page i6.)
ASpr.12: The two weeks of intermittentconferences held by Gandhi and the Viceroy were
ended.
Apr.15: JinnahandGandhiissuedajoint declaration askingall Indians to refrainfrom all acts
of violenceand disorder.
Apr. i5-r6: The Viceroyconferredwith the provincialgovernors.
Apr. 18: The Viceroy met with Pandit Nehru,
Sir Olaf Caroe, the Governorof the NorthWest FrontierProvince,and Dr. Khan Sahib,
its Prime Minister.One result of the meeting
was the grantingof an amnesty to all political
prisonersjailed by the province'sministry.
Apr. 1g: Pandit Nehru told the annualsessionof
the All-IndiaStates People'sConferencemeeting in Gwaliorthat any Indianstate not entering the ConstituentAssemblywouldbe treated
as a hostile state.
Apr. 2!: It was announcedthat casualtiesin Calcutta's riots to date were 85 killed and 730
injured.
Apr. 2': The Earl of Listowel replaced Lord

Pethick-Lawrenceas Secretary of State for

India and Burmain the BritishCabinet.
Apr. 24-25: Communal rioting was renewed in

New Delhi and spreadto Lahore.

Apr. 25: In Calcuttaan estimated io to 14 were
killed and go injured in the worst HinduMoslemoutbreakfor a month.
Apr. 26: Nehru and Jinnah cabled the Arab
League assuringit of their support of independencefor Palestine.
Apr. 28: The thirdsessionof the ConstituentAssembly opened in New Delhi. In his opening
speech Nehru said that the CongressParty
might have to accept the political division of
India after the Britishleft in I948.
The Viceroyvisited the North-WestFrontier
Province.
Apr. 29: The ConstituentAssemblyadoptedthe
provisionthat "untouchabilityin any form is

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

3I2

THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

abolishedand the impositionof any disability

on that accountshall be an offense,"for inclusion in the proposedIndianconstitution.
May I: The Congress Party's Working Committee convenedin New Delhi.
The ConstituentAssembly adopted clauses
fora fundamentalrightscharterin the proposed
Indianconstitution.
May 3: The Indian Labor Service Organization
severed relationswith the All-India National
Trade Union Congresson grounds that the
latter was dominatedby communists.
May 4: Gandhiagainconferredwith the Viceroy.
Hindu priests and ascetics demonstrated
before Nehru's home in protest against the
move by the ConstituentAssemblyon Apr. 29
favoringthe abolitionof untouchability.
May 6: Jinnah and Gandhi conferred(for the
first time since Sept. I944) and disagreedon
the subject of divisionof India into Pakistan
and Hindustan.
May 7: Sir Evan Jenkins, Governorof Punjab,
orderedMoslemsof the Rawalpindidistrict to
pay a collective fine of Rs. 3,ooo,ooo for the
riots that occurredthere.
Jinnahsaid that he couldnot adviseMoslem
League leaders in the North-West Frontier
Province to call off their civil disobedience
movement.
May Io: Freshriotsbrokeout in PunjabProvince.
May r4: Communalriots broke out in Lahore,
with I2 killed duringthe day.
May x6: Lo Chia Luen presentedto the Viceroy
his credentialsas first ChineseAmbassadorto
India.
The Governmentof India announceda revision of its import trade-controlpolicy which

wouldbecomeeffectiveJuly i,

I947,

andwas

for the purpose of making maximumuse of

India's foreign exchangeresourcesand of restrictingimportsof certainconsumergoodsand
nonessentials.(ForeignCommerce
Weekly,May
31, 1947, pagei5S.)

May 17: British troops were sent to quell the

riotsin Lahore.
May S8:The Viceroyleft India for conferencesin
Londonon the new Britishplan for India.
May I8-I9: Thousands of people left Lahore
becauseof the riots there.
May 19: It was reported that Sir Mohammed
HamidullahKhan, the Nawab of Bhopal,had
resigned as Chancellorof the Chamber of
Princes.
May 20: An improvementof the situation in
Lahorewas reported.
May 2!: Jinnahgave an interviewin New Delhi
in which he revealedhis stand: demandfor a

corridor through Hindustan connecting the

two parts of Pakistanin northwestand northeast India; opposition to partition of Bengal
and Punjab;hope for an allianceof friendship
and reciprocitybetweenPakistan and Hindustan.
The Secretaryof State for India announced
to the Houseof Lordsthat sinceNov. I 8, 1946,
4,014 personshad beenkilled and 3,3I6 injured
in the disturbancesin India.
May 23: The Viceroy'splan for transferof power
to Indian hands was approvedby the British
Cabinet.
May 26: The IndianDefenseMinistryannounced
that io,ooo additionaltroopswould be sent to
Punjab to quiet disordersthere.
May 30: The Viceroy, Viscount Mountbatten,
returnedto India fromLondon.
Fifty villages were reported to have been
destroyed in the Gurgaon area of southeast
Punjab.

Iran
CHRONOLOGY
1947
Mar. 23: Renewal of fighting between Barzani
Kurdsand the Iranianarmywas reported.
Mar. 3I: The Iranian Army Chief of Staff announced the execution of Qazi Mohammad,
Kurdishleader,his brotherSadrQazi, and his
cousinSeif Qazi.
Apr. so: An IranianmilitarymissionunderGen.
Hedayat, Under-Secretaryto the Minister of
War,arrivedin the U. S. to discussthe buying
of armsand ammunition.
Apr. ig: Abdul Hussein Sadri was appointed
Governor-General
of FarsProvince,succeeding
Emad Fatemi.
May 3: U. S. Ambassadorto Iran GeorgeAllen
stated that the U. S. was consideringthe sale of
$2s,000,000 worth of army surplusequipment
to Iran.
May 8: Maj. Sadeq Ansari, Dadar Taqizadeh,
and HaritounHarapetian,the first two being
membersof the AzerbaijaniParliamentunder
the Pishevarigovernment,were executed accordingto reportsfromTabriz.
May iS: Iran sent a note to Moscowdemanding
repaymentof 3 million pounds in gold and 2
millionpoundsin papercurrencyfor debts incurred by Russia during the occupation of
northernIran.
May 2i: FeridounIbrahimi,attorney-generalin

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE QUARTER

3I3

as first Lebanese Minister to the Vatican.

the Azerbaijangovernmentof Pishevari, was
(OrienteModerno,Jan.-Mar.,I947, page 37.)
hangedin Tabriz.
May 30: Brig. Gen. H. Norman Schwartzkopf, A!pr. 8: President Bishara al-Khuri dissolved
Americanadviser to the Iraniangendarmerie, Parliamentand set new electionsfor May 25
andJunei.
arrivedin the U. S. fromIranto obtainsupplies
May 25: Parliamentaryelectionswereheld.
for Iran'sarmy and gendarmerie.
May 28: The resultsof the electionsshowedthat
49 seats in the Chamberof Deputieshad been
filledby the Government'ssupporters,six more
Iraq
to be decidedon June i.
KamalJumblat,Ministerof National EconCHRONOLOGY
omy andAgriculture,resignedin protestagainst
the conductof the elections.
'947
Mar. so: Election results were announced;the May29: Lebanesetroopsbarredthe entranceinto
Beirut of Druze tribesmenwho intended to
Iraqi Governmentparty received a majority
stage a peacefuldemonstrationprotestingthe
of the votes. Twenty-two deputies had been
election results. PremierRiad al-Sulh banned
addedto the membersof Parliament,makinga
any furthersimilarmeetings.
total of 138.
Mar. 17: The new Parliamentheld its opening May 3z: Tripoli workersstruck in answerto an
appeal for a demonstrationfrom the newly
session.SalihJabirwas electedpresidentof the
formed opposition party "National LiberaSenateandAbd al-Azizwas electedto head the
tion."
lowerhouse.
Mar. 3o: New cabinet was formed with Salih
Jabir (Shiah) as Prime Minister and Minister
of the Interior.
Apr. 4: Nuri al-SaidPasha was elected president
of the Senate.
Apr. 8: The chief rabbiof Iraq, Sasson Khaduri,
Realizingthat time was runningshort, the
declaredthat IraqiJews wereopposedto ZionFrench
Government continued its attempt to
ism.
about
more liberal and stable relationbring
Apr. so: Nuri al-Said Pasha, president of the
with
its
ships
territories in North Africa. It
in
Iraqi Senate, arrived Amman,Transjordan,
to begin discussionsof steps to bring about a had to move forward in the face of openly exunionof the two countriesin regardto finances, pressed opposition on the part of the nationforeignaffairs,and defense.
alist leaders, and under the handicap of reApr. ii: Ali Jawdat presentedto PresidentTru- actionary sentiments among the local French
man his letters of credenceas first Iraqi Am- population in North Africa. Animosity tobassadorto the U. S.
ward the French administration was intensiApr. i6: It was officially announced that all fied by the April riot in Casablanca in
which
British land forces would be withdrawnfrom
Senegalese
troops
killed
Moroccan
civilians.
Iraq by autumn with the exception of two
France's apprehension was apparent in the
small RAF detachmentsat Habbaniyahand
numerous
tours of inspection made by promiShaibahairports.
nent government officials, principally Minister of Interior Edouard Depreux's tour of
Algeria and General Leclerc's visit to MorLebanon
rocco; in the appointment of an inspector of
land,
sea, and air forces in North Africa; in
CHRONOLOGY
the dismissal of Eirik Labonne, Resident'947
General in Morocco, for his failure to keep
Mar. 3: Antun Saadi returned from Brazil to the Sultan
of Morocco in line, and his reBeirut to head the People's Party. (Oriente
placement by General Juin, a career army
Moderno,Jan.-Mar.,1947, page 37.)
Mar. 4: Fourteenpersonswere killed in Tripoli officer, instead of the usual peacetime apin a political demonstrationfollowingthe ar- pointment of a civilian; and in the discussions
in Parisof French Qolonial
policyand French
rival of Fawzi al-QawuqjifromCairo.
Mar. 17: CharlesHilu presentedhis-credentials Union,

North Africa

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

3I4

THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

In the meantimethe FrenchGovernment

workedon measuresto thwartnationalistdemands. FrenchNational Assemblycommittees were consideringa statute which would
define the relationshipof Algeriato France,
and whichthe Ministerof Interiorpromised
the Algerianswould incorporatethe results
of the findingshe had made on his tour of
inspection. Prospective reforms also envisaged a National Assembly for Algeria,a
greater degree of local self-government,an
extensionof co-operativesocieties,and more
schoolsfor native children.As a precautionary move, however, the French in April
madea modestdisplayof militarystrengthin
eastern Algeria, where Messali Haj, Arab
nationalistleader,had beenmakingspeeches
the month before.
Reformmeasuresalong similarlines were
under considerationfor Morocco and Tunisia. To persuadethe Sultan to accept the
reformsplannedfor Moroccowas one of the
chief responsibilitiesof the newly appointed
To convincethe Tunisians
Resident-General.
of the good faith of France,presscensorship
was removed.On the other hand, urgently
neededdecisionson colonialpolicy weredelayed by the failureof the coalitiongovernment in Paris to agree on basic principles.
Until these were made all measures were
likely to be but temporarystopgaps.

visit to Tangierwith a speechin whichhe made

friendly reference to the Arab League and
claimed "full rights" for Morocco. (London
Times,Apr. 15, I947, page4.)
Apr. I4: Arabs in Tangier staged anti-French
demonstrationsto expresstheir sympathy for
the Moroccanskilled in Casablancaon Apr. 7.
Apr. z6: Abdal-RahmanAzzamPasha,SecretaryGeneralof the Arab League, was reportedto
have telegraphedthe Sultanof Moroccopromising full supportof the Sultan's demandsfor
independence.
(LondonTimes,Apr. I7, I947,
page 4.)
Apr. MS:
Jean Mons,Resident-General
in Tunisia,
was presentat a specialmeetingof government
and militaryexpertsin Paristo study the problems of French Union and French colonial
policy. Gen. Alphonse-PierreJuin, Chief of
Stafffor NationalDefense,Lieut.Gen.Georges
Revers, army Chiefof Staff, were also present.
FrenchAir MinisterAndr6Marosellivisited
the air base at Sidi Ahmedin Tunis.
A4pr. rg: The French Government appointed
GeneralJacquesPhilippeLeclerc,then on tour
of inspection in Morocco, to be inspector of
land, sea, and air forcesin North Africa.
Apr. 21: The fourth annual congressof the AlgerianCommunistParty was concluded.
Apr. 26: Censorshipof the press was ended in
Tunisia.
May 8: The ControlCommissionof the Tangier
InternationalZonevoted to suspendthe French
language weekly, La Voix du Maroc, for six
months.
May 13: The CommunistParty in Moroccoin a
telegramto the Sultandemandedthe terminaCHRONOLOGY
tion of the FrenchProtectorateand the independenceof Morocco.
'947
Apr.7: In a riotresultingfroma streetbrawlin May I4: The French Government appointed
troopsfiredon a crowd General Alphonse-PierreJuin as ResidentSenegalese
Casablanca,
of Moroccancivilians.Sixty-threepersons, General of Morocco in, replacementof Eirik
principallyMoroccans,were killed and II9
Labonne,who was given a specialappointment
wounded.
as adviserto the Presidentand PrimeMinister
SidiMuhammad of Franceon questionsregardingFrenchUnion.
Apr.9: TheSultanof Morocco,
Ibn Yusuf,left Rabatfora visit to Tangier.
(LondonTimes,May i6, 1947, page3.)
spokeat Tangier May 22: The U. S. Armyannouncedthe closingof
Apr.IO: TheSultanof Morocco
lines.He praisedthe
alongstronglynationalist
the Mellahaairfieldat Tripoli.
Arab League,but omitted a statementof May 28: Gen. Alphonse-PiereJuin took up his
which duties in Rabat as Resident-Generalof Moloyaltytowardthe FrenchProtectorate
versionof hisspeech. rocco.
hadbeenin theprepared
air- May3r: On his way from R6unionIsland to the
TheU. S. ArmyreleasedtheCasablanca
thecompletion
of theevacu- Riviera, where the French had granted him
field,thusmarking
ationof FrenchMorocco.
permissionto live, Abd al-Karim,exiledby the
Depreux,Ministerof Interiorin the
Edouard
Frenchfor his activitiesin the Rif war of I925,
FrenchCabinet,left FranceforAlgeriato inleft his ship at Port Said to seek sanctuaryin
vestigatethe situationthere.
Egypt.
Apr.r3:TheSultanof Moroccoroundedout his
The FrenchGovernmentrefusedto allowan

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE QUARTER

3I5

Egyptianfoodshipto enterthe portof Tunis cluded.To this viewpointthe USSR took exon the groundsthat the allegedreliefmission ception, arguing that the five permanent
was"political"
in nature.
membersof the Security Council "should,
alongwith all otherMembernations,assume
responsibilitynot only for the final solution
but for all preparatorysteps leading to it."
Palestine
Franceremainedlukewarm,althoughprofessing no objectionsto Big Five participation.
Great Britain formallyrequestedthe Sec- The stand of Great Britain, the United
retary-Generalof United Nations on April 2 States, and China was finally endorsed
"to summon,as soon as possible, a special by the Assembly, which resolved that the
Sessionof the GeneralAssemblyfor the pur- inquirycommitteeshouldconsist of the repposeof constitutingand instructinga Special resentativesof Australia, Canada, CzechoCommitteeto preparefor the consideration" slovakia, Guatemala, India, Iran, Netherof the Palestinequestionat the next regular lands, Peru, Sweden, Uruguay, and Yugosession of the Assembly.A majority of the slavia.
nations signifiedtheir concurrencewith the
With respectto the termsof reference,the
Britishproposalby AprilI3, and the opening Arabstates insistedthat the problemof disof the specialsessionwas set forApril28. On placed persons should not be linked with
April 2I-22 the five Arab membersof the that of Palestine,that the committeeshould
United Nations requestedthat an additional be instructedto examineonly conditionsin
item regarding " the termination of the Palestine, and that the committee should
mandateover Palestineand the declaration concernitself with the grantof independence
of its independence"be included on the as the most appropriatesolution. These
agenda,but the requestwas turneddownby views werenot sharedby the majorityof the
the Assembly.
delegates, as evidenced by the Assembly's
The British proposalwas discussed, fre- resolution.The inquiry committee was enquently with considerablepassion, during dowedwith "the Widestpowersto ascertain
fifteen plenary meetings of the Assembly and recordfacts, and to investigateall ques(April 28-May 6, and May I47-I ), and tions and issues relevant to the problemof
twelve interveningmeetingsof the Political Palestine; . . . [to] determineits own proand Security Committee (May 7-I3). The cedure; . . . [to] conduct investigationsin
JewishAgencyandthe ArabHigherCommit- Palestineand whereverit may deem useful;
tee, non-governmentalorganizations,were . . . [to] give most carefulconsiderationto
specificallygiven permissionto testify before the religiousinterestsin Palestineof Islam,
the latter body. The Arab states, supported Judaism, and Christianity;. . . [and to]
consistentlyby Afghanistanand Turkeyand preparea report to the GeneralAssembly
notlaterthanSeptember
frequentlyby India and Iran, presentedthe
i, I947. .
Palestine Arab case at great length. Their The Arab delegatesreservedthe positionof
position was challenged primarily by the theirgovernmentsregardingthe finalrecomdelegates of Poland, Czechoslovakia,and mendationsof the inquirycommittee.
SouthAfrica,who took up the Zionistcause.
The first meeting of the inquirycommitThe debate boiled itself down to two main tee washeldon May 26, whenit wasdisclosed
issues: the compositionof the proposedin- that the membersand theirstaff wouldprovestigative body, and its termsof reference. ceed by plane to Palestineearly in June. On
As regardsthe first, the differencesamong the same day, Secretary-General
Trygve Lie
the Big Powersover the Palestine problem disqualifieda Jewishand a Moslemmember
werebroughtinto clearfocus.GreatBritain, of the Secretariatstaff from accompanying
with the backingof the United States and the committeein orderto preserveintact the
China,urged that the-inquirycommitteebe latter's "neutrality."
madeup entirelyof "neutral"membersand
On May I4 the Soviet delegate declared
that the Big Five should thereforebe ex- beforethe Assemblythat if a unitaryArab-

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

3I6

THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

forcefor Arabsdestitute becauseof droughtin

southernPalestine.
The Jewish Agency office in Jerusalemwas
damagedby terrorists'bombs.
British Army Naafi store near Hadera was
destroyedby terrorists.
Mar. 17: Statutory martiallaw imposedMar. 2
was ended.
Mar. 2.1: The emergencysessionof the Executive
of the JewishAgencyended.
Mar. 24-28: Lieut. GeneralsSir Alan Cunningham, High Commissioner,and G. H. A. MacMillan,militarycommanderin Palestine,were
in Londonfor consultations.
Mar.26: The Privy Councilin Londonrejecteda
petition filed by Dov Gruner'suncle for perJ. C. HUREWITZ
mission to appeal in his behalf. [Grunerwas
New York'City
a memberof the IZL sentencedto death by a
Palestinemilitarycourt.]
CHRONOLOGY
Mar. 3o: British naval forces aided the listing
ship, the Moledet, with i,6oo unauthorized
'947
Mar. i: British officers'club in Jerusalemwas
Jewishimmigrantsaboard.
Mar.3i: Firesset by the SternGroupto Haifaoil
blownup by the IrgunZvai Leumi (IZL).
Protestersto the British seizureon Feb. 28
installations of the Shell Oil Co. destroyed
of I,398 unauthorizedJewish immigrantson
tanks used for storing oil for domesticuse in
Palestine and caused damage estimated at
boardthe Haim Arlosoroffset firesand caused
explosionsin Haifa.
$I000,000.
An attack was made on the British Army Apr. 2: Britain formally requested a special
sessionof the UnitedNationsGeneralAssembly
camp at Nathanya.
Mar.2: Statutory martial law was imposedon
on Palestine.
certaindistrictsin Tel Aviv, Jerusalem,andthe Apr. 9: The PalestineGovernment,by legislative
coastal area20 miles northof Tel Aviv.
decree,assumedpowersof militarydictatorship.
Mar. 3: The IZL declared "open warfare"in Afpr. Ii: A Jew who enteredthe precinctsof the
Palestine;five handgrenadeswerethrowninto
Haram al-Sharifin Jerusalemwas killed by a
a Britishmilitaryofficein Haifa.
Moslemmob.
Mar.5: The High Courtin Jerusalemrejectedthe A4pr.r3: Membersof the United Nations were
applicationfor a writ of habeas corpus filed
called to an extraordinarysession of the
Feb. 28 on behalf of the unauthorizedimmiGeneral Assembly, Apr. 28, to consider the
grantsof the Haim Irlosoroff.
Palestineissue.
Mar. 6: British authoritiesannouncedthat 25
British forces took over the TheodorHerzl
"knownterrorists"had been recentlyarrested
(formerlythe Guardian)with about 2,700 unwithin martial-lawareas.
authorizedimmigrantsaboard.
Mar.9: Britishauthoritiesseizedthe AIbril,a ship Apr. i6: Fourconvictedterroristswerehangedat
carryingunauthorizedimmigrantsand sponAcre prison: Dov Gruner, Dov Rosenbaum,
sored by the Hebrew Committeeof National
EliezerKashani,and MordecaiAlkachi.
Liberation.
Regulationswere effected which abolished
Mar.12: Morethan8oounauthorizedimmigrants
the right of appeal against any judgment or
were captured in southern Palestine when
sentenceof any militarycourtor of the General
landingfromthe beachedship, Susanna.
OfficerCommandingin relation to any conMar. i3: The Palestine Governmentannounced
viction by a military court. (London Times,
that 78 persons,allegedlyterrorists,had been
Apr. I 7, I 947, page 4.)
arrestedwith the aid of the Jewishcommunity. Apr. i8: Undergroundgroups began a series of
Mar. I4: The first meeting of the emergency
attacks on British forces in reprisal for the
sessionof the Executiveof the JewishAgency
hangingof the fourconvictedterrorists,Apr.I6.
for Palestineconvenedin Jerusalem.
Apr. 21: ConvictedJewish terrorists,Meir FeinMar. i6: The governmentannouncedthe offerof
stein and Moshe Barazani,committedsuicide
temporaryemploymentin the Palestinepolice
in prison.

Jewish state with equal rights for both peoples provedunrealizable,it would be necessary to consider as an alternative "the
division of Palestine into two independent,
separate states - one, Jewish, and one,
Arab." Any optimism engenderedby this
statement with respectto the possibility of
Big Five agreementon a final solutionof the
Palestineproblemwas temperedon May 29
by British ForeignSecretaryErnest Bevin,
when he asserted that he personallywould
not be bound by any United Nations decision regardinga final settlement unless it
was unanimous.

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

3I7

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE QUARTER

22: A train from Cairo to Haifa was blown
up by the IZL near Rehovoth, killing eight
persons.
Apr. 25: Five Britisherswere killed in a Stern
Groupattack on the Saronapolice compound.
Apr. 28: The special session of the GeneralAssembly to study the Palestine issue opened in
New York.
May 4: 2I 6 prisoners,33 of whomwereJews,were
freedby an IZL attack on the centralprisonat
Acre.
May 7: ColonialSecretaryArthurCreechJones
told the House of Commonsthat in the year
ended Apr. 30, I947, 97 terroristsin Palestine
had beensentencedto prison,and 28 sentenced
to death.
May 8: The JewishAgencycase was presentedto
the First (Politicaland Security)Committeeof
the GeneralAssemblyby Dr. Abba Hillel Silver. (Text in New York Times,May 9, I947,
page 4.)
May 9: Henry Cattan addressedthe GeneralAssembly's First Committee on behalf of the
PalestinianArabs. (Text in New York Times,
May iO, I947, page 5.)
May Ii: Fifty suspectedterroristsweresent from
Palestineto Gilgil,KenyaColony,East Africa.
May 13: The First Committeeof the General
Assemblyadoptedthe termsof referenceforthe
special committee of inquiry on Palestine.
(Text in New YorkTimes, May I4, I947, p. 4.)
May i4: Andrei Gromyko,USSR representative
at the specialsessionof the GeneralAssembly,
stated Russianpolicyon Palestine:it hopedfor
one nationin Palestinewith guaranteesforboth
Jews and Arabs; or, if that were impossible,
partition. (Text in New York Times,May IS,
1947, page 8.)
May I4-5: The railroad between Haifa and
Lyddawas damagedby terrorists'mine blasts;
two Britishofficerswerekilledand seven other
personswerewounded.
May 15:The specialsessionof the UnitedNations
GeneralAssemblywas ended after the Assembly had acceptedthe resolutionsetting up an
eleven-nationcommitteeof inquiryto investigate the Palestine situation and report by
Sept. 1, 1947.
May r6: Officialfigureslisted 75 dead and I96
injuredas the resultof terrorists'activitiessince
Jan. I, I947.
May 17: The Ha-Tiqvah, with about 1,400 unauthorized Jewish immigrants aboard, was
taken by Britishforces.
May i8.: Jewish extremist groups proclaimed
their refusalto cease activities duringthe UN
inquiry unless the British forces in Palestine

Apr.

also refrainedfrom their actions against unauthorizedimmigration.

May i9: It was announcedthat the New Zionist
Organization,which had split from the World
Zionist Organizationin I935, had been dissolved.
May 21: Membersof Haganahattackeda group
of "Arab brigands"who had been assaulting
JewishsettlersnearTel Aviv in recentmonths;
one Arabwas killed and seven wounded.
May 22: Speaking at the final meeting of the
three-daysession of Vaad Leumi, David Ben
Gurion,chairmanof the Executiveof the Jewish Agency for Palestine, indicated that the
Zionistsmight accept a formof partition.
May 23: The Mordei ha-Getaot,with i,0oo unauthorizedimmigrantsaboard,was taken by
Britishforces.
May 26: A JewishAgencyspokesmanstated that
Ben Gurion'sviews on partition as expressed
on May 22 werehis own and not officialJewish
Agencypolicy.
May 27: The railroadline was attacked in three
placesnearLyddaand Haifa - the firstact by
terroristssince May 14-15.
May 29: BritishForeignSecretaryBevin, speaking at the LaborParty conference,stated that
he personallywould not feel bound by any
United Nations decision regardingPalestine
unlessit was unanimous.(LondonTimes,May
30, 1947, page 4.)
May 31: 399 unauthorized immigrants from
French North Africa reachedPalestine under
Britishnaval escort.

Saudi Arabia
CHRONOLOGY
'947

Apr. 4: L'Orient,quoting alif Ba, Damascus

newspaper,reportedthat King Ibn Saud had
prohibitedimmigrationinto Saudi Arabia of
nationals of the Yemen and the Hadramaut.
Apr. 7: The SupremeNational Defense Council
of China approvedthe recent amity pact between Chinaand SaudiArabia.

Syria
CHRONOLOGY
'947

Apr.2: PaulH. Alling,ConsulGeneralat Tangier,

was nominatedAmericanMinister to Syria.
(PalestineAffairs,Apr. I947, page 44.)

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

3I8

THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

Apr. 1o: Syriajoined the InternationalBank for

Reconstructionand Developmentand the InternationalMonetaryFund.
Apr.23: Nain Antaki,vice presidentof the Syrian
delegationto UN, and Dr. FaridZayn al-Din,
new Syrianministerto Moscow,arrivedin the
U.S.
Apr. 28: Syria and the U. S. signedan air agreement allowingPan Americanto make traffic
stops at Damascus.
May 12: The Prime Minister announcedthat
Syriawouldget LS 750,ooo a year for the right
of passageandprotectionof the IraqPetroleum
Company'spipe lines whichcrossSyria.
May 20: A law providingfor a three-yearprison
sentencefor any Syriansellingland in Palestine
to Jews or smuggling Jews into Palestine
throughSyria was promulgatedby President
Shukrial-Quwwatli.
May 27: President Shukri al-Quwwatlisigned
decreesprovidingfor directelectionof deputies
to Parliament,electionsbeingscheduledfor the
first two weeksin July.

Trans ordan
CHRONOLOGY
I947
Mar. I: The new constitutionfor the Kingdomof
Transjordanbecame effective. (For text, see
page 322.)

Mar. 22: King Abdallahdeclaredhis opposition

to partitionof Palestine,and announcedthat if
Britain evacuated any of the country, his
forceswouldoccupyit.
Apr.4: L'Orient(Beirut)reportedthat the TurkoTransjordanTreaty becameeffective through
an exchangeof ratifications.
Apr. IO: Nuri al-Said Pasha, president of the
Iraqi Senate, arrivedin Amman to begin discussionson steps to bringabout a unionof the
two countries in regard to finances, foreign
affairs,and defense.
May 12: It was reportedthat Transjordanhad
given Petroleum Development (Transjordan)
Ltd., a subsidiaryof the IPC, 75 year rightsto
explore and develop oil and gas resourcesin
Transjordan.(Terms in brief in New York
Times,May I3, I947, page 27.)

Turkey
CHRONOLOGY
I947
Mar. Zr: Turkey becamea memberof the Inter-

nationalMonetaryFund and the International

Bank for Reconstructionand Development.
Mar. 12: In a message to Congress,President
Truman urged an extension of assistance to
Turkeyand Greece.(Text in New YorkTimes,
Mar. I3, 1947, page 2.)
Mar. 20: Edwin C. Wilson,U. S. Ambassadorto
Turkey,arrivedin the U. S.
Apr. 4:L'Orient(Beirut)reportedthat the TurkoTransjordanTreaty becameeffective through
an exchangeof ratifications.
Apr. 6-7: By-electionsforninevacantParliament
seats wereheld and won by the People'sParty
candidates;the Democratsdid not participate.
Apr. 9: It was announcedthat nearlySoo British
fighterplanesof WorldWar II type had been
sold to Turkey,and that Turkeyhad hirednine
Americanexpertsto aid in the reorganization
of
railroads, sea transport, and telephone and
telegraphcommunications.
Apr. so: Ahmet Emin Yalman, publisher of
Vatan,and two membersof his staff were sentenced to five months imprisonmenton the
chargethat articlesin Vatanhad offendedthe
dignityof the mayorof Izmir.
Apr. 13: An Americandelegationof fourSenators
and six Representativesvisited Ankara.
A,pr.28: AmbassadorWilsonreturnedto Ankara.
May i: Italo-Turkishtrade treaty became effective.
May 2: The U. S. aircraftcarrierLeyte,the cruiser
Dayton, and the escort destroyersPurdy and
Bristolpaid an officialvisit to Istanbul.
May 5: The SimplonExpress,Paris to Istanbul,
resumedoperations.(London Times, May 8,
I947, page 3.)
May ii: The death sentence was approvedby
the National Assembly for two Turkish citizens, Mustafa AbdullahSagir and Ivan Miemso, convictedof espionageon behalf of the
USSR in the Karsarea.
May I2: PresidentIsmet In6nii announcedthat
Turkey would use the prospectiveU. S. loan
for militarypurposes,and would seek in addition a loan fromthe InternationalBank.
May I9: The ailingPatriarchof the GreekOrthodox Church, Maximos V, left Istanbul for
Greece.
AnAmericannavalmissionarrivedin Ankara
on a two-dayvisit.
May 22: President Truman signed the GreekTurkishAid Bill. (For text of bill see Departmentof StateBulletin,June I, I947, p. I070ff.)
May 2f: Eight American-builtminesweepers
operated by the British since the Normandy
invasionwereturnedover to the TurkishGovernment.

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE QUARTER

3I9

May 25: Nazmi Kismir,TurkishFinanceMinisprotestedby the oppositionDemocraticParty.

ter, announceddecreesending restrictionson
foreigncapital, so making it possible for foreign enterpriseto invest in Turkish industry
and to take profitsout of the country,and also
CHRONOLOGY
facilitatingthe drawingof foreignexchangeby
tourists.
'947
May 28: Martiallaw for Istanbuland five adjoin- May 24: An agreementwas signedwith the U. S.
grantingthe Yemencreditup to $I,ooo,ooofor
ing provincesof northwesternTurkey was exthepurchaseofsurplusmaterialfromtheForeign
tended for anothersix months by Parliament,
LiquidationCommissionbeforeJan. I, I948.
timesinceI940. Themovewas
the fourteenth

Yemen

This content downloaded from 128.40.212.118 on Fri, 2 May 2014 11:56:49 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions