There is now enclosed a draft of a note which you are requested to
deliver in appropriate form to the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs
in reply to the note you received from him on April 24, 1942, provided
you agree with the wording. The Department would appreciate your
telegraphing any suggestions you may have concerning possible
modifications in the enclosed draft.
[Enclosure]
Draft of Note to His Excellency Dr. Enrique
Ruiz-Guiñazú, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of the
Republic of Argentina
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of Your Excellency’s note of April 24, 1942 with respect
to discussions between representatives of our two Governments
concerning collaboration in hemisphere defense and the provision of
matériel under lend-lease arrangements. Immediately upon receiving
this communication from [Page 397]
Your Excellency, I transmitted it to my Government, which has now
instructed me to reply to you as follows:
My Government is impressed by the desire of Your Excellency’s
Government to make its contribution toward the solution of the
problems of security and supply which confront the Argentine
Republic and the United States as well as the other American
republics. My Government hopes that, on account of this attitude, it
will be possible for the two Governments to arrive at an identical
appraisal of the situation which confronts them so that the
difficulties which have arisen in these negotiations may be
immediately resolved to their mutual benefit. Indeed, it is
precisely the nature of that situation which has dictated the
current policy of the Government of the United States.
Following the drastic reversal in the international situation caused
by the fall of France, the American republics, fully aware of the
extreme peril and having declared that any attempt on the part of a
non-American state against the integrity or the inviolability of the
territory, the sovereignty, or the political independence of an
American state should be considered as an aggression against all of
them, actively engaged in strengthening their defenses and their
armed forces against all eventualities and in organizing cooperation
for defense among them. During this period, the Government of the
United States offered to enter into both lend-lease arrangements and
military conversations with the Government of Argentina.
As a result of the aggression of Japan upon the United States on
December 7, 1941 and the immediately following declarations of war
by Italy and Germany, a very different situation has existed. The
United States and nine of the other American republics are at war
with the Axis. In addition, nine of the remaining republics have
broken off diplomatic and economic relations with the Axis. All
nineteen of these republics have, to a greater or lesser degree,
each according to its means, taken active, even drastic, measures to
eliminate Axis activity within their frontiers.
In accordance with its intention to render assistance to the utmost
of its ability to the American republics which have thus placed
themselves in the forefront of hemispheric defense, the Government
of the United States has made available to these American republics
all of the military and naval matériel which it could possibly spare
in order that by so doing it might make the utmost possible
contribution to the cause of hemispheric solidarity and to the
practical defense of the New World. Because of the imperative demand
for matériel at the fighting fronts in Europe, in Asia, in Africa,
and in the South Seas, and the training requirements of the United
Nations, it has unfortunately not been possible for the Government
of the United [Page 398] States to
make available to these other American republics all of the military
and naval matériel which is required by them in the common interest
of all.
It is of course obvious, in view of the situation above indicated,
that the Government of the United States could not conceivably
divert vitally needed naval or military matériel to the Governments
of the American republics which have made no effective contribution
to the cause of hemispheric defense.
It was because of this consideration of indisputable validity that my
Government offered Argentina a proposal to collaborate in keeping
open the sea lanes between Argentina and the United States over
which flows the trade which is so important to the well-being and
protection of our two countries. My Government has felt that were
the Argentine Republic to undertake this responsibility, it would be
contributing in a practical and effective measure to the cause of
hemispheric solidarity and to the cause of hemispheric defense and
that under such conditions all of the nineteen American republics,
of which the United States is one and to which reference is above
made, would have jointly felt that under such circumstances the
Argentine Republic should legitimately share in the supplies of
armament available to my Government for distribution among the other
American republics.
My Government considers the proposal made to Argentina for protection
of shipping in waters adjacent to Argentina eminently fair and
reasonable. The United States today is utilizing such of its naval
forces as are available for the protection of shipping in the north
and even south Atlantic, including shipping to and from Argentina.
The least that Argentina should be willing to do is to give
protection to such shipping off Argentine shores.
My Government, therefore, sincerely regrets to learn the indication
of your Government in its note of April 24, 1942 that Argentina is
not disposed to collaborate effectively in the manner proposed in
order to further the cause in which nineteen of the American
republics are actively cooperating. Candor requires my Government to
state that it finds itself in disagreement with the conclusion that
the proposal implies the creation of a state of belligerency. The
history of the last few years offers many instances of naval action
taken by a neutral country in protection of its shipping that did
not result in a state of belligerency. The example of my own country
might be cited which, for many months prior to the declaration of
war upon it by Germany and Italy, was taking daily naval action to
assure that its ships arrived safely in the ports of many distant
lands. The United States did not become a belligerent as a result of
that action.
[Page 399]
If the proposal appears like an exclusively Argentine obligation, it
is because the nineteen other American republics have already taken
steps of far greater consequence and risk. Ten of them are at war
with the Axis countries, and another nine have broken off diplomatic
relations. In the absence of either action by Argentina, my
Government hoped for some positive measures by Argentina that would
persuade the other eighteen countries that Argentina was making its
contribution to the maintenance of hemisphere solidarity and
therefore was entitled to share in the distribution of the armament
available for the other American republics.
In view of the position of your Government, my Government regrets to
find itself unable to proceed with the signature of the agreement
which has been under consideration by the appropriate authorities of
our two Governments and with the negotiation of a Lend-Lease
agreement which is, of course, in itself only incidental to the
actual provision of matériel.
Accept, Excellency, the assurances of my most distinguished
consideration.