835.24/277: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)
151. From the Under Secretary. Your 201, February 3, 6 p.m. The outline of policy contained in your telegram is entirely accurate and completely in accord with the policy which this Government will pursue until and unless the position assumed by the Argentine Government changes.
I have consulted General Marshall13 and Admiral Stark. They will tomorrow inform Admiral Sueyro and General Lapez that inasmuch as the Argentine Government has determined to maintain at least for the time being a position which is tantamount to neutrality and inasmuch as all but one of the other American Republics have either declared war or broken relations with the Axis powers and have thereby incurred the dangers inherent in such action through their support of the United States, the military and naval matériel which can be spared by the United States can logically only be allotted to the latter American nations.
I have already had a preliminary conference with Espil to whom I have given preliminary notification that this would be the policy pursued by this Government. [Welles.]
- Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, United States Army.↩