Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The American Republics, Volume IX

811.24532/12–745

The Secretary of War ( Patterson ) to the Secretary of State

Washington , December 7, 1945.

Dear Mr. Secretary: Your letter of 26 November 1945⁶⁰ inclosing a paraphrase of a telegram from Ambassador Berle concerning the maintenance of military air bases in Brazil has been received.

In view of your opinion that our long-range military rights in Brazil might be seriously jeopardized and the implementation of the Strategic Base Agreement made much more difficult should operations of the Air Transport Command terminate before the agreement is fully implemented, the deactivation of the Air Transport Command in Brazil will not be accomplished without prior consultation with the State Department.

It is contemplated, however, that the number of personnel of the Air Transport Command in Brazil will be reduced wherever such reduction is consistent with operational needs.

Sincerely yours,

Robert P. Patterson

60. Not printed.