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  4. Document 1315

817.00/9058

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Nicaragua (Stewart)

No. 1271
Washington, July 5, 1944.

Sir: Reference is made to the Embassy’s despatch no. 2265 of May 20, 1944, with regard to the attitude which should be adopted by the Director of the Military Academy of the National Guard of the Republic of Nicaragua in the event of a revolutionary disturbance in that country.

The Department concurs in the recommendation of Colonel Carl H. Strong, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Panamá Canal Department, United States Army, that should any such unfortunate development take place, in order to avoid any involvement whatsoever in the internal political affairs of Nicaragua and any embarrassment to this Government, the Director should turn over command of the Military Academy to the highest-ranking Nicaraguan officer and should repair immediately to the American Embassy. In such an eventuality, the Ambassador is authorized formally to notify the Nicaraguan Government of the suspension of the agreement signed on May 22, 1941, and extended by an exchange of notes dated October 22 and 25, 1943,6 in accordance with Article 5 (b) or Article 6 thereof, whichever he may deem most expedient under the circumstances then prevailing.

The Department does not believe that these instructions to the Director of the Military Academy should be communicated to the Nicaraguan Government, since they might give that Government the impression that a revolution is considered imminent by the Embassy or by the Department. However, should President Somoza initiate a discussion and ask the Director what his orders are, the latter would be authorized to make his position clear.

Captain George C. Smith, G. N., is not an official of the United States Government, but it is believed that the Embassy might properly point out to him that in so far as he may become involved in the internal [Page 1396] political affairs of Nicaragua, he might forfeit his right to protection by this Government.

Very truly yours,

For the Secretary of State:
L[aurence] D[uggan]
  1. For text of agreement of 1943 continuing in force the agreement of May 22, 1941, respecting the detail of a military officer to serve as Director of the Military Academy of the National Guard of Nicaragua, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 344, or 57 Stat. (pt. 2) 1109.↩