Office of the Historian

811.24500/2–144

Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Roosevelt

Washington, April 7, 1944.

Under your directives of January 7 and February 1, 1944, Ambassador Caffery is negotiating for our postwar military use of air bases in Brazil.

These negotiations disclose that President Vargas appears ready to give us what we desire provided that we give Brazil benefits of protection analogous to the security benefits we derive from our continued use of Brazilian bases. President Vargas wants 1) a continuing guarantee of assistance to Brazil in the event of attack not only by [Page 558] an extracontinental power but by any other country of this hemisphere and 2) a continuing flow of armament to Brazil.

… He thinks that the United States should help make Brazil secure, just as by granting us permanent military use of the air bases he is helping to make the United States secure.

With your approval, I propose to meet President Vargas’ request as follows:

1.
Abrogate the politico-military agreement of May 27, 1942, which was in effect an outright alliance with Brazil, and replace it with a new agreement placing our intention to assist Brazil in the event of aggression upon it within the general framework of our inter-American undertakings regarding hemisphere defense, security, and solidarity.
2.
Provide Brazil in the future with armament in accordance with the following general propositions, which in essence are identical with those contained in my letter to Admiral Leahy of February 29, 1944 (copy attached):42
(1)
That it is to the interest of continental security that the Brazilian Army be maintained on an efficient basis;
(2)
that the Brazil–United States Joint Defense Commissions be continued at Washington and Rio;
(3)
that the Commissions make recommendations regarding Brazilian needs for equipment and similar military technical matters;
(4)
that the equipment be furnished under a new agreement to replace the existing lend-lease agreement;
(5)
that familiarization and refresher courses for Brazilian officers in the United States, and vice versa, be continued as part of military cooperation for hemisphere security.

The main virtue of such an arrangement would be its applicability in varying degrees to other American republics.

I am studying the necessity and desirability of submitting the agreement to the Senate for its consent and ratification.

C[ordell] H[ull]
  1. Not printed.↩