811.24500/1–744

President Roosevelt to the Secretary of State

Dear Mr. Secretary: The Joint Chiefs of Staff have submitted to me a study14 showing the locations in foreign territories, in which air bases or aeronautical rights and facilities for the operation of military aircraft are deemed essential to the future military requirements of the United States.

I am forwarding to you that study and accompanying memoranda,15 and request that the State Department, as a matter of high priority, initiate negotiations with the governments concerned to acquire permanent or long-term benefit of the bases, facilities and rights required, at the earliest possible moment.

It is desired that the State Department should collaborate fully with the War and Navy Departments in this matter. The latter will furnish the State Department such documents, memoranda and knowledge as they may have derived from wartime acquisition or use of any of the bases, facilities and rights in question.

The order of priority, the timing, and the plan of negotiation will be determined by the State Department in each instance. The War and Navy Departments, collaborating with you, will indicate the relative importance of the air bases and facilities, and will prescribe the maxima to be desired and the minima which will be acceptable in each instance.

[Page 547]

The optimum arrangements desired in certain instances would be to have the United States own or become long-term lessee of an air base and facilities with the right:

a.
To import, free of duty, matériel, equipment and supplies requisite to the improvement, maintenance, operation and defense of a military air base.
b.
To operate military aircraft into and from the base and over surrounding territory without restriction.
c.
To install and operate such radio, weather, communication and other facilities as are required for the operation of the air base, aircraft and navigation aids.
d.
To maintain such personnel as may be requisite for the operation and defense of the base, facilities and rights.

The acceptable minimum in certain instances may be for the United States to have the right to operate from the base and to install facilities essential to that operation and to defense.

Between these two extremes, the solution applicable in each locality will be governed by the importance of our particular need and a realistic approach to what we can expect to obtain from the sovereign power concerned.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff are maintaining a continuing study of this important subject and will submit further recommendations from time to time as circumstances and the military interests of the United States may dictate.

You will note that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have purposely excluded consideration of civil aviation requirements, stating that, while inevitably related, the latter are under study by the State Department. I concur in their opinion that it is probable that any policy established in respect to civil aviation will be in accord with, and often strengthen, the military position outlined by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but it is obvious that in any case of conflict, sound military requirements must control. Negotiation for the bases, facilities and rights herein designated as being of military necessity must therefore not be postponed or retarded in deference to considerations of civil or commercial aviation.

Very sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt
  1. Not printed.
  2. Memoranda of November 15, 1943, not printed.