814.24/101: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Guatemala ( Cabot )
88. Your 99, October 29, 11 a.m. Will you please express to the President the Department’s sympathetic interest in his desire to obtain military assistance. In this connection reference is made to instruction no. 462 of August 22, 1940, indicating that this Government is prepared to send a military mission when officially requested to do so and after a survey of the defensive needs of the Guatemalan armed forces has been made. With this end in view this Government would be pleased to send to Guatemala promptly and without cost to the Guatemalan Government an Army officer who would make a thorough study of the situation and confer with the appropriate authorities. He would embody his recommendations in a report which would be submitted to the Governments of Guatemala and the United States for their consideration.
The Department hopes that the President will approve of this suggestion which it is believed will be helpful in achieving the ends desired by the Government of Guatemala.