816.01/183
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)
The British Ambassador called and showed me a letter from Sir Robert Vansittart regarding the recognition of the Martínez regime which indicated that the British could not much longer feel justified in withholding recognition, although they want to cooperate with the United States in every possible way.
I explained to Sir Ronald again the position in Central America and told him I thought that a good many people had lost their heads in Salvador at the time of the so-called communist outbreak and had clamored for the landing of troops. Our Chargé d’Affaires had not felt that the situation was so serious and had not asked for troops. Of course the coffee planters pretty much lost their heads and when the difficulty was over had perhaps an exaggerated idea of what Martínez had accomplished, and therefore urged more strongly his recognition. I said that in any event our position was unchanged and that we were now looking forward in the hope that Martínez will do as he had said and get out on the First of June.