NAVY DEPARTMENT
                 OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
                                   WASHINGTON
 
                                September 26, 1941
 
     MEMORANDUM FOR THE NAVAL AIDE TO THE PRESIDENT
 
 
    The following memorandum is based on information received from 
the American Naval Attache in Istanbul. The source is an informant 
believed by the Naval Attache to be reliable.
 
    The Office of Naval Intelligence gives the information a re-
liability rating varying from "A" to "B". An explanation of this 
rating is as follows:
 
     Rating "A" - The information is considered reliable in sub-
stance and proceeding from a reliable source. Subject to other in-
formation received from other reliable sources either in affirmation 
or in negation, weight and credence in general should be given to it.
 
      Rating "B" - Information is considered reasonable, but is not 
confirmed. Information of this type may proceed from a mere logical 
deduction from the general or specific circumstances attending and 
influencing general or specific situations.
 
     The memorandum will for purposes of coherence be divided into 
separate subjects, but attention is called to the fact that all the 
subjects are interrelated, and each contributes toward the general 
conclusion that may be reached.
 
      I. Factional strife in Germany: possible peace moves.
 
      The Reichswehr command is today (September 15th) divided into 
two factions, the first - Extremist, the second - Conservative. The 
Extremists are strong adherents of Hitler, and include such person-
alities as Generals Keitel and Reichenau, and a dozen or so less 
important high ranking officers. The conservative group includes 
such men as Generals Witzleben, Brauchitsch, Runsted, and Blaskowitz. 
In addition to these men Marshal Goering is now inclining toward the 
Conservative group, which is the real reason for his present alienation 
from Hitler. He and other members of the Conservative faction are 
under close surveillance of the Gestapo.
 
       The Conservatives aim at final liquidation of the Nazi party at 
the earliest opportunity, and through loyal non-commissioned officers 
are spreading disrepute of Nazi leaders among the soldiers. The argu-
ment of the Conservatives when approaching the soldiery is to point