Office of the Historian

810.20 Defense/6–146: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Messersmith)

secret
us urgent
Washington, June 3, 1946—5 p.m.

745. Von der Becke visit discussed today in the light of urtel no. 1497 June 1 noon41 with General Handy, Deputy Chief of Staff (General Eisenhower absent from Washington.) Full agreement that misunderstanding must be avoided, that State and War must maintain identical position and that visit here must not prejudice in any way your position or negotiations in Buenos Aires. A letter from UnderSec has just been delivered to Handy for Eisenhower which concludes as follows:

“Ambassador Messersmith has already had one conversation with President-elect Perón on the subject of Argentine-United States [Page 252] relations, in the course of which he informed the President-elect that he hoped to be able to continue discussions shortly after Perón’s inauguration on June 4. A conversation such as outlined in the enclosed memorandum should be helpful to the extent it serves to impress on the Argentine Govt the necessity of complying with its inter-American commitments, in order that we can then be in a position to take up other important matters of mutual interest with them.”

Memo reads as follows:

“Should General von der Becke call on General Eisenhower, it is recommended:

1)
General Eisenhower should not take the initiative in raising the question of US-Argentine relations or the question of military collaboration between the two countries.
2)
Should either of these questions be raised by General von der Becke, General Eisenhower would reply that, as previously explained to Colonel Bertollo, General Eisenhower shares the hope expressed by General von der Becke that some basis for cooperation between the armies of the two countries can be established; and that General Eisenhower has been in conference with high officials of the US Govt looking toward that goal. General Eisenhower could then continue:
3)
In seeking some basis for cooperation with the Argentine Army, General Eisenhower has been confronted with a problem of compliance with certain inter-American agreements, including resolutions VII, XVIII, and XIX of the Mexico City Conference which relate to the elimination of German and Japanese influence in this Hemisphere.
4)
As stated to Colonel Bertollo, the Dept of State considers that among the important steps which should be taken pursuant to these resolutions are, for example, the elimination of German and Japanese ownership in certain business enterprises and the repatriation of certain enemy nationals.
5)
The matter of specifying the agreements which are pertinent and what would constitute compliance are matters which should be worked out between the Foreign Offices of the respective Govts.
6)
Once these matters have been worked out between the respective Foreign Offices then General von der Becke would find General Eisenhower willing to meet him more than half way in establishing the basis for an effective cooperation between the Argentine and US armies.
7)
Until these matters have been worked out, General Eisenhower is not in a position to discuss what this cooperation shall consist of.”

Handy indicated agreement with terms set forth and will deliver personally to Eisenhower on latter’s return tomorrow together with copy Urtel 1497.

Von der Becke reached Washington today being met behalf War Dept by Lt. Gen. Vandenberg. He requested an interview with Eisenhower which has been scheduled for June 5.

Byrnes
  1. Not printed.↩