825.24/1813
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Chief of the Division of West Coast Affairs (Lyon)
Colonel Johnson29 called this morning to say goodbye before returning to Santiago. Before leaving Washington he is to visit Fort Benning and other military establishments in the United States and expects to get back to Santiago about May 15. He said that he has been pressing with the War Department, Admiral Spears, etc., the project of obtaining more equipment for the Chilean Army.
Colonel Johnson said that just before he left, General Oscar Escudero begged him to help in this matter and he (Colonel Johnson) really feels that it is essential we keep a steady, if not voluminous, flow of Lend-Lease material to Chile. He has seen Colonel K. F. Hertford of the Latin American Theatre of Operations Division and urged upon him the necessity of this, and he may see General Marshall today and if he does, will bring this matter to his attention.
The Chilean plan is to eventually re-equip the whole Chilean Army with American equipment. They realize that this is impossible for the present, however, and are now aiming at the equipment of two divisions, the first and second (the First is stationed at Antofagasta and covers the north of Chile; the Second is stationed at Santiago and covers Santiago and the central part of Chile). This represents approximately one-half of the Chilean Army. For it, they hope to obtain artillery equipment (they are quite well off in respect to trucks and motorized equipment), machine guns and rifles. They are in particular need of light machine guns.
Colonel Johnson says that the Chilean Army, after using our material, finds it so superior to other equipment that it is all in favor of it.…
- Col. Wendell G. Johnson, Military Attaché of the Embassy in Chile.↩