Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The American Republics, Volume VII

823.248/7–3144

Memorandum by Mr. Joseph E. Johnson, Division of American Republics Analysis and Liaison, of a Meeting of the Joint Advisory Board on American Republics

[Washington,] July 31, 1944.

Participants:

Joint Advisory Board on American Republics, Rear Admiral W. O. Spears, Senior Member; Mr. J. F. McGurk, ARA;23 Mr. Joseph E. Johnson, RL (guests).

After the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, Mr. Johnson requested that they be amended to indicate that he had been present as a guest and it was so ordered.

Admiral Spears opened the discussion by stating that the Joint Advisory Board had been directed by the Joint Munitions Allocation Committee (JMAC) to reconsider its recommendation that twelve SBD²⁴ dive bombers be assigned to Perú; this was to be done in the light of Mr. Berle’s²⁵ remarks before the JMAC, and a recommendation was to be submitted by August 1.

Admiral Spears asked for a statement from the Department’s representatives and at Mr. McGurk’s request Mr. Johnson, stating that he was now expressing the views held by the Department, repeated the substance of the arguments he had expressed as his personal views at the previous meeting. They were in substance that the Department opposed the allocation of these aircraft for political reasons, primarily for the probable effect on Colombia and especially on current negotiations with Ecuador. He also stated that it is the Department’s opinion that, in view of the present military situation it is inadvisable to assign further combat aircraft to other American republics (except Brazil and Mexico). Mr. McGurk concurred in this and suggested that the assignment of combat aircraft to other American republics be deferred until after the forthcoming staff conversations²⁶ so that this question could be considered from the overall viewpoint of needs for hemisphere defense and not on a piecemeal basis.

Admiral Spears, who throughout took the lead in presenting a case for the assignment of the planes, was not sympathetic to this proposal. He at once launched into a history of the case, emphasizing throughout the fact that the planes are needed to patrol the Peruvian coast for the defense of shipping and shore installations against possible sneak attacks. He also spoke of US commitments to cooperate with Peru in the defense of her shores,²⁸ citing the secret defense agreement of June, 1942, and referring to an understanding reached last fall when US Army planes were withdrawn from Talara that the United States would furnish Peru the planes for patrolling the coast. He stated that the question really was whether defense considerations advanced by the Navy outweigh political considerations which the State Department emphasizes. Everybody agreed with this last point.

Mr. McGurk’s request that the Joint Advisory Board postpone action on this case was rejected on the ground that the Board wished to settle this matter as far as it was concerned once and for all. The Board accordingly agreed to recommend to the JMAC that the training planes previously approved be assigned at once to Perú, and that the twelve dive bombers be approved for assignment, but that the JMAC not refer them to the Munitions Assignment Board until October. In recommending this delay the Board took the position that it would give the State Department time to complete present negotiations with Ecuador over the Galapagos²⁹ or at least to learn whether they were likely to be successful. It was understood to be of importance that no word should reach the Peruvians respecting the allocation of these planes until the Munitions Assignment Board has acted.

Admiral Spears adverted at one point to Mr. Berle’s remark before the JMAC that the State Department considered the political aspects of allocations to the other American republics of fundamental importance, especially as the statement approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke of “any large threat” to the security of the Western Hemisphere having been “largely removed”.³⁰ Admiral Spears stated in this connection quite categorically that this statement gives the Army and Navy the power to decide problems involving Lend-Lease allocations to the other American republics, the only place the State Department comes in being in connection with assignments of munitions of war for cash to countries other than Brazil and Mexico.

23. Acting Director, Office of American Republic Affairs.
24. The scout bomber “Dauntless”, produced by Douglas Aircraft Company.
25. Adolf A. Berle, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State.
26. For correspondence on the initiation of staff conversations, see pp. 105 ff.
28. See Stetson Conn and Byron Fairchild, The Framework of Hemisphere Defense, in the official Army history United States Army in World War II: The Western Hemisphere (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1960), p. 203.
29. For correspondence on negotiations to extend United States use of the site, see pp. 1052 ff.
30. See undated instructions on staff conversations, p. 106.