862.20210/1147: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
Rio de
Janeiro, March 23, 1942—4
p.m.
[Received 9:15 p.m.]
[Received 9:15 p.m.]
1000. My 992, March 22, 7 p.m. In connection with the arrests made during the past 3 days, I respectfully submit the following thoughts to the Department:
- 1.
- It seems reasonable to assume that the Germans will strongly suspect that the 30 arrests were made on evidence intercepted in radiograms as specifically these 30 implicated in the messages were arrested and no others: We have no evidence to arrest others.
- 2.
- With these arrests more than 70 per cent of the agents in South America connected with these radio rings are at least temporarily out of the way. This includes many carefully trained men whom it will take at least one or two years to replace.
- 3.
- The police have arrested these men at our request and are holding them on the definite promise that we would furnish evidence for their prosecution. By evidence I mean more than our statement that we have secret information.
- 4.
- These arrests have dealt a paralyzing blow to the German communications system but if we cannot furnish the local police with real evidence, they must release them and they will without doubt reorganize somehow, somewhere, their communications which will result in further sinking of ships and may impede operations of our bomber ferry service.
Caffery