810.34/3–3046
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I refer to your letter of March 30, 1946 to which is attached a list of naval vessels20 which the Navy Department proposes to transfer to the other American republics. It is noted that the vessels comprise minor combat, auxiliary, and miscellaneous craft which are in excess of the Navy’s needs, and that these vessels conform to the number and types requested by the other American republics during the recently concluded exploratory bilateral military staff conversations, as revised by the Joint Army-Navy Advisory Board.
The Department requests that no vessels be offered at the present time to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nicaragua.21 There is no objection to the sale to the other American republics specified of the vessels listed in the attachment to your letter.
Sincerely yours,
Under Secretary
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Secretary Forrestal was informed in the Department’s letter of April 18, as follows: “To this list of republics to which it is undesirable to furnish naval vessels at this time should be added Cuba for the reason that, despite the strong financial condition of that government and great prosperity on the island, Cuba has made no payments, although repeated requests have been presented, on her Lend-Lease settlement.” (810.34/3–3046)
Secretary Byrnes repeated in his letter of June 6 to Secretary Forrestal the recommendation that no naval material be made available to Cuba until a payment had been made on its lend-lease account, and added: “With regard to the provision of ammunition, it is believed that such ammunition should be limited to one year’s normal training or practice allotment for the various weapons sold as has been agreed upon with the War Department in the case of ground equipment.” (800.24/5–346)
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