Office of the Historian

740.0011 P.W./6–145: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Brazil (Daniels)

Washington, June 6, 1945—noon.

1423. For Daniels. Embtel 1722, June 1.31 Following message has been received from San Francisco with request it be transmitted to Embassy.

“For Berle from Rockefeller. In reference to your wire I have had conversations with Velloso32 during the past 2 weeks concerning this matter. It was the opinion of the Department that it would be politically advantageous to have Brazil declare war on Japan and therefore the matter was taken up with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on that basis. They have given their approval together with an agreement to have a token participation from the Brazilian Air Force in the Pacific. Because of the difficulty of transportation and the necessity for retraining they are not in a position to make use of Brazilian ground troops. On this basis the matter was discussed by Secretary Stettinius with President Truman, who has given his approval and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Velloso has been informed of the above. In discussions here with Velloso it seems inadvisable that an official request be made by the United States that Brazil declare war on Japan, and it is our feeling that it would be better if you could state to the Foreign Office that the United States would be most appreciative of Brazil’s cooperation and collaboration in the war in the Pacific. There is an important ramification in this situation, in that it means permanent use of Lend-Lease equipment which at the present time is barred because Brazil is no longer at war.”

You are requested to convey substance of this information verbally to Acting Foreign Minister, omitting any reference to Lend-Lease matters, and confirm by telegraph to Dept. Embtel 1767, June 5,33 received in Dept subsequent to preparation of foregoing message.

Grew
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Pedro Leão Velloso, Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs, apparently conversed with Assistant Secretary Rockefeller at the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco.↩
  3. Not printed; in it the Ambassador reported Brazil’s decision to declare a state of war against Japan (740.0011 PW/6–545).↩