810.20 Defense/2418: Telegram

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

989. Your 1202, April 9, 4 p.m.52 While the War Department is willing to pay for the construction by the Brazilian Government of the airfields at Caravellas, Montes Claros, Carolina, and Barreiras, it would, of course, prefer to be relieved of this obligation since these airports have no present military value. If, however, an offer to construct these airfields with United States Government funds will assist you materially in obtaining the necessary permission for the other airport development projects and other matters desired by the War Department, you are authorized to inform the Brazilian Government that the required funds will be made available.

It should however be thoroughly understood by the Brazilians that (1) United States aircraft will have free access to these fields, and (2) that materials and machinery for their construction cannot be furnished for probably a year or more (all machinery and material available is currently needed for work on airfields of greater strategic importance).

The Department believes that the construction of the airports mentioned should be tied into the future development of Brazilian commercial aviation and of the regions served, rather than represented as having any immediate military value.

Welles
  1. Not printed.