800.014 Antarctic/9–348
The Secretary of Defense (Forrestal) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)
Dear Mr. Secretary: This is with further reference to your letter of 13 August 19481 concerning the definition of the areas in Antarctica which are to be claimed by the United States.
In considering your request, I have sought and obtained the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They are of the opinion that the proposed definition of areas to be claimed includes all areas to which the United States claim may reasonably be made, and that the definition of areas is sufficiently general to provide adequate flexibility for working out future details, which applies particularly to more precise determination yet to be made of the results of the most recent United States Antarctic explorations. The Joint Chiefs of Staff concluded, and I concur, that there is no objection from the military standpoint to the proposal of the Department of State concerning the areas within Antarctica which should be claimed by the United States.
For your information, I enclose a copy2 of the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as expressed to me.
Sincerely yours,