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  4. Document 100

810.20 Defense/10–1444

Memorandum by the American Ambassador in Brazil ( Caffery ) to the President of Brazil ( Vargas )44

[Extract]
[ Rio de Janeiro , July 10, 1944.]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“The Government of the United States of America suggests to the Government of Brazil the opportuneness at this moment of conversations between their respective General Staffs in order to guarantee the military security of the hemisphere in the post-war period. If the Government of Brazil agrees, the Government of the United States [Page 125] of America will send immediately to this country military officials to take part in the proposed conversations. It will be recalled that similar conversations took place toward the end of 1940.

“In this connection the Government of the United States suggests also the desirability of concluding with the Government of Brazil a Military Security agreement to guarantee its collaboration in the case of an aggression directed against either of the two countries or against the hemisphere.

“The Government of the United States of America will obligate itself to furnish war material to Brazil in accordance with the following general considerations:

  • “1) It is in the interests of continental security to maintain on an efficient plane the armed forces of Brazil;
  • “2) The Brazil–United States Mixed Defense Commissions should continue to be maintained in Washington and in Rio de Janeiro;
  • “3) The Commissions should draw up recommendations with regard to the needs of Brazil with respect to war material and similar subjects of a technical-military nature;
  • “4) The war material should be furnished under a new agreement which should be substituted for the present Lend-Lease agreement;
  • “5) Specialized courses of familiarization for Brazilian officers in the United States, and vice versa, should be continued as part of the military cooperation for the security of the hemisphere.

“The staff conversations should not only include the requirements for matériel and equipment but also the methods for the training of the necessary personnel for the adequate operation and maintenance of such matériel and equipment.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  1. Embodied in the Minutes of the Inaugural Session of the Brazil–United States Mixed Military Commission, transmitted to the Department in despatch 18291, October 14, from Rio de Janeiro; received October 25.↩