856A.20/37: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister to the Netherlands Government in Exile (Biddle), at London
Washington, October
13, 1941—9 p.m.
Netherlands Series no. 31. Your no. 24, September 25, and no. 26, September 30.
- 1.
- The President is greatly heartened by Her Majesty’s expression of appreciation and is extremely gratified by her frank exposition of the difficulties.
- 2.
- The President perceives no objection to the formula suggested in the third paragraph of your no. 27 of October 1, 5 p.m. Furthermore, the War Department is prepared to send immediate assistance which will be strong in air and anti-aircraft units. It states that the initial forces will be restricted to approximately 1,000 officers and men.
- 3.
- You should discuss with Her Majesty or her Ministers a joint United States–Netherlands announcement along the following lines, the specific text of which it is proposed should be communicated confidentially in advance to the Brazilian Government when the Netherlands Government invites the Brazilian Government to send a mission to Surinam.
[Here follows text of draft announcement.]
- 4.
- It is hoped that the Netherlands Government will see no reason to object to notifying this Government in advance of the proposed text of the Netherlands’ invitation to Brazil, and in this connection you may wish to inform Dr. Van Kleffens that the Department will [Page 820] be pleased to instruct the United States Ambassador at Rio de Janeiro to cooperate in every appropriate manner with Her Majesty’s Minister there.
- 5.
- Please telegraph if the foregoing is agreeable to the Netherlands Government and at what time instructions will be telegraphed to the Governor of Surinam.
Hull