Office of the Historian

810.24/12–1145: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Berle)

Washington, December 10, 1945—8 p.m.

2736. Urtel 3594 Dec 4. It was impossible for me to discuss with British Ambassador here88 activities of representative of British [Page 650] Vickers Armstrong but Assistant Secretary Braden had talk with officer of British Embassy. He expressed grave concern Department about this development on grounds of danger starting armament race and of complicating plans for inter-American defense. British Secretary of Embassy expressed sympathy with Department views and promised to communicate with London and with British Embassy Rio.

Please take up informally and along same lines with British Ambassador and report by telegram repeating to other four Missions concerned. Department has issued similar instructions in this matter to Embassies London, Rio, Buenos Aires, Santiago and Lima.

Byrnes
  1. Lord Halifax.↩