יומנים > יומן - מלא 30/12/1947

Wednesday, December 30, 1947

This morning Moshe [Sharett] arrived. [UN Secretary-General] Trygve Lie, at a meeting with the five biggies [permanent members] of the Security Council, asked whether they would establish an international force for Eretz Israel. No answer was given.

       Over the weekend [a shipment] of 5 tons of smokeless [gun] powder, 30 tons of TNT left New York for Tel Aviv [Port]. The same ship has 100 tons of brass, [wireless] radio sets, lead, and 3 generators for S.C. [the Science Corps] for Haifa - in total 220 tons. Yehuda Arazi has 20 tons of TNT, and 3 Constellation [planes] were also bought. One will be ready in a few days. If we get an import permit - it will arrive in Lod (before that it will unload the cargo in the Negev). If not - it will go to Egypt. 10 (twin-engine) C-46 [Commando cargo planes], 22 (single-engine) training planes, 6 amphibians are about to be purchased. The C-46 planes are also intended for cargo transport (these might not be able to fly to Egypt, and without an import permit - they'll remain in America until the time is right). [Arazi] has received [$] 350,000 so far. He's about to receive another 250 [thousand]. Kaplan promised up to a million. He promised a second million - on the condition that I agree to this. The planes will cost 350,000. From the rest he'll buy 240 bazookas and 20,000 shells (bazooka - $ 125, shell $ 16.5). There's a large ship - belonging to a friend, prepared to bring us the shipment for free to Tel Aviv (it's sailing to Syria). ([As for] the bazookas, he wants to transport [them] by airplane to the Negev). The ship will depart at the end of February. He requests landing plans for the planes.

       There were talks with SD [the US State Department] regarding equipment. With DD [the Department of Defense] - [Secretary of Defense] Forrestal as well. And also with Loy Henderson [of the State Department] and two assistants to Forrestal (one is Jewish).

       Moshe called on the four "implementers" [members of the working group on implementation of the Palestine Subcommittee on Partition] (Russia, America, Canada, Guatemala) [to establish] an international force. Otherwise - we'll take responsibility for ourselves. If they don't provide equipment - we'll equip ourselves. [Sharett] also said this to the SD. In a letter, Armor [sp.], (assistant to [under Secretary of State] Lovett) requested that [we] wait.

       [David] Marcus, age 40, from Brooklyn, attended West Point, was in the [world] war from the beginning, was in combat, in the [military] staff, in Europe and the Far East. Was an assistant to [General] Hilldring [a member of the US delegation to the UN]. He's prepared to go [come to Eretz Israel], but cannot be first [in rank] (he's only second). Promised to attain "first."

       [He proposes] General Ralph Smith. Shlomo [Shamir] and Marcus went to San Francisco to see Smith. He agreed to go - on the condition that his government consents and the English know [of this]. Moshe then consulted with Hilldring (today a private [citizen], left the SD on the eve of the UN [General] Assembly. Was on the delegation only because of pressure from David Niles).

       Hilldring praised Marcus, particularly in planning (according to him - foremost in the United States). He had praise for Ralph Smith, but he has a shortcoming - he was relieved of his command, not necessarily through a fault of his own. Advised taking someone else. Marcus disputed Hilldring's opinion. Regarding equipment and General [Smith], Hilldring advised going straight to the president. He suggested that [Bernard] Baruch approach the president on this matter. They were also in touch with FDR. He was given a list of the needs.

       Loy Henderson explained to Moshe [Sharett] the significance of the embargo that was imposed a few months ago - in relation to the situation in the country (there were negotiations over the equipment for the Syrian gendarmerie - but Marshall reached the conclusion that [the negotiations] should be halted). An embargo was imposed and not announced - to prevent unnecessary provocation. When a [public] outcry against arming the East began - they announced (about a month ago) that an embargo had been imposed. When Moshe spoke with him about equipment for us, Henderson did not present the embargo argument - but did raise other questions: To whom will the weapons be given? To the [Jewish] Agency? To the UN Commission? The Security Council?

       Forrestal's men announced that without the SD, [weapons] will not be provided. And when the SD agrees [i.e., after the State Department indicates its consent] - they must examine the issue (from a diplomatic-military perspective).

       Sobolev, [Trygve] Lie's second under-secretary, in charge of security and political affairs - an educated man, intelligent, speaks freely - told Moshe there's a likelihood of an international force [being established]. The key lies with the United States, because the Russians and the French agree, the English are in the country, and everything depends on the Americans. Sobolev asked [Sharett] what he thinks, whether the Americans will agree … In practical terms Sobolev sees no difficulty in the deployment of an international force. America has naval and air forces in the Mediterranean Sea, Russians can immediately send two bomber squadrons. Infantry if required - will take a month, if they want to send it. In Sobolev's view Security Council intervention with respect to the Arab states is also possible. Experts are of the opinion that America will not provide equipment - if it provides any - other than through the UN, because it's a UN matter. [Trygve] Lie told Moshe that the Commission will convene on January 9. Sobolev requested of Moshe that [we] be ready with a provisional government proposal by January 9.

       The special 1947 fundraising campaign - 2.2 million gross in cash (10% expenses) and more than 500,000 in pledges. The entire apparatus [organizational staff] of the UJA objected to the Haganah fundraising campaign - as competitive and undermining. There's a foundation for this claim, in Moshe's opinion, especially in small towns. During the fundraising campaign in Atlantic City serious consideration was given to a pledge of 250 million. And for this reason suspension of the special fundraising campaign was validated [considered legitimate]. The slogan of "Haganah" was accepted for the general fundraising campaign [UJA?] (the Joint [Distribution Committee] is granting 3 million for the Haganah in March out of 1947 [as against the 1947 budget]). The Haganah fundraising campaign will collect the debts, continue to operate as a group, emphasize the Haganah in the general fundraising campaign [UJA?], seek donations in kind (not money [but rather materials and weapons]) (this is important!).

       Public gatherings on the Haganah and against the secessionists are being convened. At these gatherings fundraising for the Haganah takes place.

       Kaplan obtained a loan of 7 million at 2.5%. Aside from this he's arranging private loans by individuals - at least 50,000 per person. They hope to reach 5 million. It's barely progressing, and not clear whether it will reach 2 million. In Canada he obtained 2 million Canadian dollars - for purchases in Canada.

       The newspaper Yedidei Haganah ["Friends of the Haganah" - published in English as Haganah Speaks] has a distribution of 100,000. [They] want to reach half a million.

       [They're] making a list of experts: pilots, fighters, mechanics. Without publicity, it's possible to reach 300 people, half of them from youth movements, half - former soldiers. To bring someone over and return him to America will cost $ 1,000. With publicity broad enlistment is possible.

       Who will do this? [Abba Hillel] Silver's Emergency Council? The parties? What is the legal and political side? - Moshe doesn't know. They're looking into a crew for the planes purchased in America.

       Colonel Marcus will set out for the country (in any event) in mid-January. Shlomo [Shamir] wants to return.

       Negotiations have commenced with the Import Export Bank on a loan of $ 75 million for the [Jewish] Agency for ''aliya and development. According to Oscar Gass it has a chance. They also submitted a proposal for a loan of 500 million for the provisional government.

       - Fritz [Shalom Eshet] wants to leave again. All the plans have remained on paper. Only memos remain. Valuable time is being wasted on discussions. Need [to grant] authority to someone to decide and implement. The merchants want to profit off of our troubles. He wants to be a private. I told him that he doesn't have the right to exercise his own discretion - he must obey. This isn't an army, we're not a state, nor a government. We're focused on defense and not on establishing an army for a state - and everything is based on volunteerism. Per Yigael [Yadin]'s suggestion I asked him to head the division [responsible] for planning against an invasion (within the operative department [Operations Department of the General Staff]). He'll focus on immediate plans to establish a field corps, conclude plans and orders for the day of [British] withdrawal, coordinate the engineers' committee for strategic fortifications, serve as Yigael's representative on professional committees for armament, armoring, etc. He said he'd obey me.

       - [Aryeh] Shenkar [president of the Manufacturers' Association] is demanding an answer on the matter of Wirgun [?]. He worked for Wilson-Baron [in the government]. Shenkar is delaying his departure for another job. The purchases aren't good. [They're] paying high prices, for example for textiles (he brought samples of tents). Need a War Supply Office.

       The economic situation is getting worse. Cuts are being made in textile work. There's no credit. Deposits are decreasing. The [British] army isn't buying (previously it was bringing in 15 million).

       - In the afternoon Yigael [Yadin], Yisrael [Galili], Zvi [Ayalon], Montag [Moshe Mann] garrison officer), Yosef [Yizraeli], [Shimon] Wasserman, Moshe Lehrer [Zadok] (Personnel). Yigael: By March 1 [we] want to enlist 18,000 men (15,000 Hayish [Haganah Field Corps] and Palmach reservists, 3,000 under the authority of the SCs [subdistrict commanders][)]. The 20 battalions (14 Hayish, 6 Palmach) will be divided: 7 in the north, including Haifa (5+2), 4 in the center (3+1), 4 in the south (3+1), 3 in Jerusalem (2+1), 2 in the Negev (1+1). Right now in the Negev there are 550 Palmach, 100 Hayish, 900-1,000 garrison force (men from the settlements). By March 1 [we] want the Negev to have (aside from garrison force) 1,500 men (Hayish + Palmach). Yisrael adds - reinforcements will be needed for the settlements.

       Currently Hayish has 7,000, Palmach and its reserves 3,000, and if it's possible to conscript everyone (and it's not possible) - it will be necessary to retrain another 8,000 men. Right now there are 3 courses: 4 squad commander camps [courses] (400 men), Palmach squad commanders [course] (70 men).

       Yosef Yizraeli thinks that conscription of the current Hayish will only give us 3,000-4,000 recruits. Each cohort year [age group born in the same year] gives us a maximum of 4,000 healthy men. To conscript 18,000 requires conscripting 5 cohort years (from 18 to 22). This means: 1) closing all higher education schools. 2) emptying out most of the youth movements. 3) conscripting the kibbutzim in the moshavot [i.e., the youth group members working in farming communities while waiting to establish their own cooperative agricultural settlements]. 4) the means for full upkeep [upkeep of all conscripts]. 5) the means to support families. 6) confiscation of ksarktim [storage facilities, camps].

       To date 12,000 personnel have reported, including 3,000 women (excluding those disqualified). The people of Jerusalem, people of the settlements, members of the "Organization" [Haganah, whose members were considered trained] have not yet reported. To train 18,000 requires (only?) 1,000 commanders, managers starting at an older age. And here the question of salary surfaces, especially of those who were soldiers [during World War II] and have since then succeeded [in terms of work]. Among the conscripts there are also youths who do not know how to write. In M. Lehrer [Zadok]'s view the conscription problem is a commanders' problem. [We] need 2,000-3,000 commanders (?!), and they need to be taken from the "Organization" and the armed forces [discharged soldiers]. "Organization" commanders are located: 1) individuals, in cities and moshavot [rural communities of private farms]. 2) in kibbutzim and moshavim, usually as key figures in the settlement. 3) students at a higher education schools. The "Organization" has about 1,000 commanders [at the rank of] platoon commander [first lieutenant] - 600 of them already enlisted. Need to train another 500 platoon commanders, 1,000 squad commanders, in addition to the current ones. (Training a squad commander takes three weeks - condensed training). Need to establish a salary norm: upkeep, minor needs, support for families. It's imperative to have a [state of] emergency regime in the Yishuv: enlistment [conscription and confiscation] will apply to people, vehicles, apartments.

       Baruch [Rabinov]: Upkeep of 18,000 men means [P£] 1.4 million per month. Each soldier costs P£ 30 per month; it will be necessary to support at least 5,000 families, an average wage of [P£] 24 per month; personal equipment - P£ 30.

       I requested that Yigael [Yadin] provide me with a plan based on the required number of conscripts and the places where they're stationed; from Baruch - a detailed budget; from Yosef [Yizraeli] - the methods of conscription; from Yisrael - a proposal for [draft] orders.

       If Baruch's estimate is correct, one-time equipment (30 X 18,000) will require - P£ 540,000. Monthly expenses: upkeep (30 X 18,000) - 540,000. Support for families (24 X 5,000) - 120,000 - total monthly expenditure [P£] 660,000.

       [Distribution of the Field Corps (Hayish) brigades]: Levanoni [later - Golani] - north, Hadari [later - Carmeli] - Haifa, Alexandroni - center, Kiriati - Tel Aviv, Givati - south, Etsiyyoni - Jerusalem.

       - A large delegation from HaHevel HaYami [the Palestine Maritime League] headed by Shmuel [Tolkowsky]. They asked to know what their roles are now. I said: three - 1) boats and seamen for defense, 2) arrangements, personnel, and ships to bring in ma'apilim [clandestine immigrants], until after the [British] withdrawal, 3) sailors and ships for large-scale ''aliya. They requested that a Defense [Committee?] liaison officer be appointed [to liaise] with HaHevel (Rivlin) and with the [Jewish] Agency's Naval Department.

       - A delegation of Sephardim from the Balkans (Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria): Assa, Yosef Uziel, Ben-Yosef, Beja, Atty. Pardo, Peretz (Turkey), Slomonov, Baruch Uziel, Dr. Bachar [sp.]: They oppose ethnic separation and the appointment of a Sephardic representative. They're complaining about the Histadrut having sent people to the Sephardic representative body. Why didn't they ask them before appointing a Sephardic [representative]? The time is not right for a war, and they're conceding the appointment as a temporary order, but in the lead up to statehood we'll [all] just be Jews.

       I clarified my position, and I deferred continued [discussion] until there's more time.