823.24/1177
The Chargé in Peru (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 5.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s despatch no. 8195 of October 27, 1943,8 and to other communications expressive of opinions held in and about this Embassy in respect of the supply of Lend-Lease equipment, and especially military weapons capable of offensive military use, to the Peruvian Government.
A recent visitor from Washington, Colonel Kenner Hertford, Chief of Operations, Division for Western Hemisphere, War Department General Staff, has indicated that the original military and naval Lend-Lease, more or less earmarked for Peru early in 1942, has been very largely supplied.
I understood Colonel Hertford to state, however, that this approaching exhaustion of the flow of Lend-Lease supplies did not necessarily mean the stoppage of the same, but rather adoption of a new attitude toward the supply of such materials to Peru.
It would seem that the United States military authorities are desirous of orienting the Peruvian military, who have only too often looked toward Europe in the past, toward the United States. The Peruvian Army is regarded as in all probability a permanent factor in the formation of Peru’s policies. Accordingly, in view of this military influence in the national life, it is felt that the training of Peruvian officers in the United States should be continued. Likewise, since these same officers would learn to use American matériel in school in the United States, ways and means should be found of supplying them and the Army with equipment of United States origin.
Accordingly, United States military interests will probably require a continuation of the supply of military Lend-Lease matériel to Peru [Page 1506] with a view to accustoming the Peruvian military to the use of the same and eventually to equipping the entire armed forces of the country with weapons and other supplies of North American manufacture.
Colonel Hertford appeared to realize the possible disadvantages which might ensue from any but the most careful and carefully supervised supply of such equipment to the Peruvian armed forces. He was well aware that the Army might be tempted to employ such equipment, supplied under Lend-Lease, to quell internal popular movements or for utilization against neighboring states. At the same time Colonel Hertford quite reasonably pointed out that, since the Peruvian Army would be a continuing factor in this country’s life and would supply itself with equipment from some source, the United States should be that source.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩