823.24/1176
The Chargé in Peru ( Patterson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 4.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch no. 9298 of March 23 reporting possible changes in the administration of Lend-Lease equipment, with especial reference to military supplies, foreshadowed for Peru by Colonel Kenner Hertford, Chief of Operations, Division for the Western Hemisphere, War Department General Staff.
Colonel Hertford called yesterday afternoon prior to departing for Guayaquil, en route to Quito and Bogotá, this morning. He expressed himself as most content with the reception accorded him by the Peruvian military authorities, with whom he had had interesting talks and from whom he had received hospitality.
Colonel Hertford stated, with respect to possible renewal of staff conversations9 with a view to revision of earlier understandings, that he had made no commitments. Colonel Hertford had, however, gained the distinct impression that the Peruvian military authorities were desirous of continuing close cooperation with the United States. The problem of the supply of Lend-Lease would be to enable the Peruvians to have access to what they might need for defensive purposes involving cooperation with the United States, without giving them materials which they would be tempted to use in offensive operations against their neighbors.
Respectfully yours,
- For correspondence on earlier staff conversations, see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. v, pp. 1142 ff.↩