Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume V

776.5/8–1050

The Liberian Chargé (Bright) to the Secretary of State ¹

The Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Liberia presents his compliments to the Honorable the Secretary of State of the United States of America and has the honor to bring to the attention of the Honorable the Secretary of State the requests of the Liberian Government which have previously been the subject of discussions between the United States Department of State and the King-Tolbert Mission of February, 1949.²

The Government of Liberia in view of its strategic location which has been made more vulnerable by the construction and operation of a deep-water port at Monrovia, the development of rubber plantations, the operations of the Liberia Mining Company for the exploitation of iron ore and the establishment of the Roberts Field Airport, together with the request made of the Liberian Government by the Security Council for combat troops as well as the large communist influence across the borders of neighbouring territories, again resubmits for the consideration of the United States Government its request for assistance in its desire to improve its military and defense services.

The Memorandum of February 14, 1949³ of the King-Tolbert Mission is therefore modified and hereby submitted as a basis for this request:

1.

(a) Procuring arms and ammunition and other military equipment from the Government of the United States of America for the use of the Liberian Army in training, and for use in combat since she has now become more vulnerable to attack; and

(b) On what conditions would the United States Government be willing to assist the Liberian Government in this respect.

2.

(a) Obtaining loan to the Government of Liberia of regular army officers to assist and advise in the training of the Liberian Army; and

(b) On what conditions would the United States Government be willing to grant this request.

3.

(a) Securing the assistance of the Government of the United States of America in the construction of coastal, frontier and general internal modern military defenses and in making a survey of the Republic for the purpose of formulating an overall national defense program; and

(b) On what conditions would the United States Government be willing to render this assistance.

In their consideration of the request of the Liberian Government, the United States Department of State indicated in their Note of March 28, 1949,⁴ that there was no Congressional authorization for sending military missions to countries other than those for which they had such authorization, but that nevertheless, if, and when, such legislation as they were endeavouring to obtain was enacted the Liberian Government could be assured that every consideration would be given to its request for military aid and assistance of the type described in the Liberian Legation’s Memorandum.

In the light of the hopeful gesture of Your Excellency’s Government, the Government of Liberia in view of the wanton invasion on South Korea by the armies of North Korea which has created a serious threat to world peace would be pleased and do hereby beseech the United States Government to give favourable consideration to the above mentioned requests of the Liberian Government which requests the Liberian Government considers vital to its safety and national security.

The Secretary of State of Liberia also desires to state that in pursuance of provisions of Article V of the Defense Agreement concluded March 31, 1942 between the Governments of the United States and Liberia,⁵ the Government of the United States was good enough to allocate the sum of $1,000,000.00, $750,000.00 of which was applied to training Liberian officers by officers of the United States Army then stationed at Roberts Field. In this connection the Liberian Government would appreciate the inclusion of any balance to such defense program as the two Governments may by agreement mutually agree to inaugurate.

Washington, August 10, 1950.

1. This note was handed to Director Berry on August 10 as an attachment to Chargé Bright’s note printed supra. The identical note, mutatis mutandis, was addressed to Ambassador Dudley in Liberia by Liberian Secretary of State Dennis on August 7. In his despatch 45, August 7, from Monrovia, not printed, which transmitted the text of the Liberian note of August 7 as an enclosure, Ambassador Dudley urged that the Liberian requests for military assistance be carefully examined and speedily implemented by the Department of State. The Ambassador observed:

   “The Department is aware of the many facts which serve as justification for bolstering up the morale of this small Republic which for a hundred and three years has stood ready and willing (although not too able) to serve American interests in this area of the world.”

2. Regarding the mission under reference here, see footnote 2, supra.
3. Not printed.
4. Not printed.
5. For text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 275, or 56 Stat, (pt 2) 1621. For documentation regarding the negotiation of the agreement, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iv, pp. 355 ff.