Office of the Historian

896.24/6–1048

The Secretary of State to the Philippine Ambassador (Elizalde)

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of the Philippines and has the honor to refer to the Ambassador’s note of June 10, 19481 in regard to the request of the Philippine Government dated May 13, 19472 for financial assistance to its Armed Forces in the amount of $9,440,668. The aid sought was to have supplemented Philippine outlays for food, fuel, and clothing for the Armed Forces in the twelve months preceding June 30, 1948.

Since receipt of the Embassy’s note of May 13, 1947, the Chief of the Joint United States Military Advisory Group and his staff have been steadily engaged with the late President Roxas, President Quirino, and the ranking officers of the Philippine Armed Forces in attempting to develop the outlines of a future Philippine military establishment which could be regarded by all the parties concerned as appropriate and feasible. During this same period a previously undeterminable amount of arms, ammunition, and air and naval equipment was also gradually being transferred to the Armed Forces. The possibility of rendering financial assistance for food, fuel, and clothing as requested by the Philippine Government in its note of May 13, 1947 was also under consideration throughout this period. However, it is regretted that this Government was unable to include aid of this type in the total [Page 631] assistance which it rendered to the Philippine Armed Forces in the fiscal year 1948. In this connection it is noted with satisfaction that the Philippine Government was itself able to meet these needs at least on a sustaining basis during the period in question.

Since longer range questions of military assistance are still under consideration by the Governments of the United States and the Philippines, the interim decision of the United States in regard to the Philippine request of May 13, 1947 was reached without prejudice to any future policy determinations which may be arrived at in this field.

Washington, July 30, 1948.
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Not printed, but see memorandum of November 13, 1947. Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. vi, p. 1116.↩