810.20 Defense/6–2046
Memorandum by Mr. Horace K. Fleming, Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs59
Just before staff meeting this morning I went down to the press room where the correspondent of France Press allowed me to see the original cable version of his story on the von der Becke interview. What happened seems to have been substantially as follows:
General von der Becke emphasized to the correspondent the importance of having three self-sustaining defense zones in the western hemisphere. He pointed out that if a sudden foreign attack, by atomic bomb or otherwise, should cripple the U.S., South America would be separated from the other available zone—Canada. Hence it was essential that there should be a third zone in the south.
I am inclined to doubt that the General omitted from his discussions any mention of Brazil. However, no matter what he may or may not have said on this score Brazil certainly faded into the background when he produced a table (the same that was given to Eisenhower) showing that Argentina has an industrial machine, transport network and general commercial potential, virtually equivalent to that possessed by all the rest of South America combined (including Brazil).
[Page 263]In the light of the General’s statements about the necessity of a third zone the France Press correspondent drew from this table the not unexpected inference that von der Becke at least thought that the headquarters of the third zone should be established in Buenos Aires rather than Rio. It is, of course, true that the figures may have had another purpose—to impress Eisenhower with the power of Argentine should it happen to swing its weight elsewhere. However, whatever the purpose, it is quite evident that had von der Becke thought about it for a moment he would have realized the effect on Brazil of such a tabulation, presented under such auspices and to such a person (Eisenhower).
Where France Press went wrong was less in essentials than in details—viz. in quoting the General as referring to three “arsenals” instead of zones (which is quibbling) and assuming that von der Becke said more to Eisenhower on this subject than he actually did.
- Addressed to the Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs (Briggs) and to the Deputy Director of that Office (Butler).↩