AMERICAN POLICY TOWARDS SPHERES
OF INFLUENCE
 
     The American attitude toward spheres of influence
took definite and public form as a result of the Mos-
cow Conference. In Mr. Hull's report to the Joint Ses- 
sion of Congrees on November 18, 1943 he said:
 
     "As the provisions of the Four Nation Declara-
tion are carried into effect there, will no longer
be need for spheres of influence, for alliances for
balance of power or any other of the separate al-
liances, through which, in the unhappy past, the na-
tion strove tosafeguard their security or to promote
their interests."
 
     In the late spring of 1944 the Department was in-
formed of a contemplated arrangement between the USSR 
and Great Britain whereby Rumanian affairs should be the
"main concern" of the Soviet Government and Greek affairs
should be the "main concern" of the British Government. Sub-
sequently, the arrangement was extended, to include Bul-
garia as a Soviet concern, with the British receiving 
roughly an equal position with the Russians in Yugoslavia. 
The term "spheres of influence" was sedulously avoided, 
or disclaimed, in all the correspondence; the term "tak-
ing the lead" was occasionally used. In subsequent reports, 
from London and, from Ankara, there was some talk of the 
arrangement having crystallized to the degree that the 
distribution of influence was to be on a basis of 80-20 
percent (Russian v.s. British) in Rumania and Bulgaria,
and 50-50 in Yugoslavia, though the Russians thought it 
should be 60-40. In the message from Ankara the British 
share was described as "Anglo-American."
 
      The question has since arisen in connection with the 
Soviet and British interest in the political situation,
and with somewhat more precision, in a proposed arrangement 
between the Soviet and British Governments for the rearma-
ment of Yugoslavia.
 
      Reverting to the earliest communication from the Brit-
ish, upon their learning of our misgivings concerning the 
proposal, Mr. Churchill suggested to the President that 
the arrangement be given a three-months' trial, subject 
then to review by the three Governments, to which the Presi-
dent's assent was given. The British Government then in- 
formed the Soviet Government that our assent had been given 
but that the three-months limit had been set in order not 
to "prejudice the question of establishing postwar spheres 
of influence."
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