817.00/9058
The Ambassador in Nicaragua (Stewart) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 2.]
Sir: I have the honor to invite the Department’s attention to the question as to what should be the actuation and duty of American officers of the Nicaraguan Military Academy in the event of a revolutionary disturbance in Managua.
It will be recalled that General LeRoy Bartlett, Jr., G.N.,4 the Director General of the Military Academy, is an officer of the United States Army and that Captain George C. Smith, G.N., of the Academy is an American citizen civilian.
There appears to be no indication in the contract under which General Bartlett serves the Academy as to what his actuation and duty should be in case of a revolutionary disturbance in Managua. This question is further complicated by the fact that a considerable store of ammuniton, etc. is currently stored at the Academy, the possession of which could easily become an objective of such a disturbance. Some of this belongs to the Military Mission and is the property of the United States Government.
Yesterday I discussed the subject of this despatch with General Bartlett. He stated that he has received no instructions from “Washington. However, the late Colonel Carl H. Strong, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Panama Canal Department, told him that in case of a disturbance in Managua he should turn the Academy over to the highest ranking Nicaraguan officer and report to the American Embassy. On the other hand Colonel Frederick Cruse, General Bartlett’s predecessor at the Academy and now Military Attaché for the Central American countries, said that in his opinion he should defend the Military Academy against any aggression or attempts to enter it. He added that President Somoza had stated that the cadets were non-political and would not be used in a revolution. General Bartlett remarked to me that President Somoza has given him no such assurance but that Colonel D’Arbelles, Chief Instructor of the Academy, claims that the President refers to the cadets as his “Guardia de Choque.”
[Page 1394]If it is deemed advisable by the Department and the War Department that instructions be issued, I respectfully suggest that their tenor be made known to the Embassy and possibly to the Nicaraguan Government so that it would know in advance what to expect of these officers.
The above does not indicate that conditions in Managua are abnormal in any way or that any such disturbance is foreseen.
Respectfully yours,
- Guardia Nacional (National Guard>o£ Nicaragua).↩