711.32/52: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil ( Gibson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:15 p.m.]
352. In the course of a conversation last week the Minister for Foreign Affairs73 told me that he was in receipt of a report from the new Brazilian Ambassador at Tokyo which gave a rather alarming picture of Japanese preparations for eventual hostilities with the United States.
He said that the Ambassador is a man of unusual steadiness and that he gave weight to such statements coming from him. He added that if these reports were well-founded he felt it essential that Brazil should align herself clearly with the United States for any service that might be rendered; that he considered this too important a matter to act on entirely on his own initiative and felt that the President must be consulted. He added that the President had not yet seen the report, but that he entertained no doubts as to the President’s readiness to authorize him to offer Brazilian cooperation to the United States.
This afternoon the Minister told me with obvious satisfaction that the President had given him the fullest authority to bring this matter to the attention of our Government and, as he expressed it, to go as far as he liked.
Macedo Soares said that he wanted you to know that whatever developments might occur you could count on whole-hearted Brazilian support and cooperation; that if you had any suggestions to make as to the line Brazil should take they would be acted upon; that if there was any service that Brazilian Government could render he would be glad to be informed. He said it had occurred to him that there might be information which you would like to have as to Japanese enterprises and activities in Brazil and then added “or elsewhere” where such information might be secured by Brazilian representatives.
The Minister spoke on this subject at some length with obvious sincerity and reiterated once more his belief that the fundamental Brazilian policy should be to go along with the United States in full understanding. He said that his feelings on this subject are fully shared by President Vargas.
[Page 388]Macedo Soares has not yet had an opportunity to communicate on this subject with Aranha74 and particularly requests that the subject should not be mentioned to him until he has communicated with him and so informed us.