Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the President1
For the President from Secretary Hull:
Mr. Kennan conversed with Dr. Salazar for two hours yesterday afternoon and presented the President’s personal letter.2 The letter clearly made a profound impression on the Prime Minister.
The conversation was cordial and friendly throughout. Dr. Salazar said he could not answer authoritatively offhand.
Dr. Salazar had expected us to use naval facilities granted the British as occasion required, without requesting permission.
He was not unsympathetic about facilities in Terceira and was ready to seek a formula to reconcile our use of the airport with the terms of the British agreement.3 He wondered whether we could not [Page 395] consider aircraft being delivered by ferry command to England as having British status from departure in this country until after passage through Portuguese territory, and said in this case he would not be interested in nationality of crews or ground forces serving such aircraft. Answering a specific question from Kennan he said this would apply to construction and engineering personnel.
As for facilities beyond those granted the British, his primary reaction was that this was tantamount to proposing Portugal’s entry into the war. He dwelt at length on his efforts to preserve Portuguese neutrality, and said the British alliance4 had afforded the pretext for giving the British their facilities while continuing to claim neutrality. He recognized the need for closer collaboration with Atlantic nations. Should he enter the war he would extend us all facilities, but he questioned the advantage of Portuguese belligerency.
Kennan stressed the importance of obtaining our facilities promptly and asked Dr. Salazar to bear this in mind.
Kennan considers Dr. Salazar’s reaction encouraging and hopes indications of British support, which will be conveyed by the British Minister [Ambassador]5 today, will further improve our position. He is sure that Dr. Salazar, after reading the President’s letter and observing recent events, is not unreceptive to our use of the Islands but is seeking a formula to reconcile his action with neutrality.
- Sent by the White House Map Room, via military channels.↩
- The letter under reference, dated November 4, 1943, is printed in F. D. R., His Personal Letters, 1928–1945, vol. ii, p. 1466.↩
- For the text of the agreement of August 17, 1943, between Great Britain and Portugal regarding facilities in the Azores, see British and Foreign State Papers, 1946 (vol. 146), p. 447.↩
- For the texts of the treaties constituting the alliance between Great Britain and Portugal, see British and Foreign State Papers, 1812–1814. (vol. 1, pt. 1,) pp. 462 ff.↩
- Sir Ronald Hugh Campbell.↩