Office of the Historian

856A.20/48a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)

Washington, October 13, 1941—9 p.m.

940. From the Under Secretary.9 With reference to the message of the President to President Vargas of last July 1010 and particularly the question of Surinam, Biddle has been discussing with Queen Wilhelmina and the Netherlands Foreign Minister the bases for an invitation by the Netherlands Government to this Government to protect the bauxite mines in Surinam, which supply over 60 percent of our requirements and for which the Netherlands Government is unable to provide full protection. The War Department has ready at Trinidad for immediate despatch about 1,000 officers and men, strong in air and anti-aircraft personnel. This force will be sent simultaneously with an announcement of agreement between this and the Netherlands Government on the defense of Surinam. Queen Wilhelmina has agreed to enter into discussions with the Brazilian Government concerning measures of military vigilance on the Brazilian-Surinam frontier and to invite Brazil to send a mission to Paramaribo to exchange information and concert all requisite measures. It is proposed that the text of the United States–Netherlands agreement regarding Surinam be communicated in advance confidentially to the Brazilian Government together with the Netherlands’ invitation to Brazil. It would be desirable, it appears to me, for the Brazilian Government to release a statement simultaneously with the statement of the United States and Netherlands Governments indicating its knowledge of and agreement with this action designed for the defense of these supplies vital to hemisphere defense.

You may wish to seek an audience with President Vargas to inform him in the name of the President of the foregoing discussions and of the steps taken since his personal message to Dr. Vargas of July 10. You should explain that General Marshall11 feels that it is essential that United States troops and equipment proceed to Surinam without [Page 821] delay to forestall any damage through sabotage or other enemy action to the bauxite mines and the lines of supply. Please cable me at once any suggestions President Vargas may wish to make with regard to the procedure suggested above. [Welles.]

Hull
  1. Sumner Welles.↩
  2. See telegram No. 525, July 10, 9 p.m., to the Ambassador in Brazil, vol. vi, in section under Brazil entitled “Cooperation Between the United States and Brazil on Certain Measures for Hemisphere Defense.” ↩
  3. Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army.↩