810.20 Defense/3261
The Under Secretary of State (Welles) to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)
Dear Jeff: On receipt of your letter of August 31,72 I requested the War Department to send me for transmission to you, any available documents on the activities of the Joint Brazil–United States Defense Commission which would give you up-to-date information on this subject and assist you in your conversations with Brazilian officials.
I have received from the War Department copies of seven recommendations made by this Commission, and I am enclosing them herewith.73 The War Department tells me that with reference to recommendation number one, it has taken necessary action to provide for the delivery before the first of November of all the eighteen A–29 light bombing planes which are needed for active duty on the Northeast coast of Brazil. Recommendations two to five inclusive must be approved by the Brazilian authorities before action can be taken by the War or Navy Department. Action on recommendations six and seven is now pending in the War Department.
You will be glad to hear that the Brazil–United States Defense Commission is functioning smoothly and harmoniously. The Brazilian members are taking great interest in the Commission’s work and are, I am told, most cooperative in suggesting subjects for recommendation and in drafting the texts.
I shall endeavor to keep you informed of important developments.
Believe me [etc.]
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed; the recommendations included (1) expediting delivery of 18 A–29 planes, (2) defining the area and persons within the jurisdiction of military police, (3) locating Brazilian purchasing agencies in Washington, (4) submitting Brazilian defense purchases to the Joint Commission, (5) placing shipping problems in the hands of the War Shipping Board, Lloyd-Brasileiro, the Joint Defense Commission, etc., (6) specifying the numbers of guns and teaching personnel, and (7) indicating the number of personnel for teaching the use of the 18 A–29 and 28 A–31 planes to be delivered to Brazil. On October 30th the Joint Commission made three further recommendations: (8) establishing a disassembly and crating plant for planes at Recife, (9) establishing three station hospitals at Brazilian ports, and (10) organizing a joint military commission to be located at Rio de Janeiro. (832.248/431, 832.20/475)↩