Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

796.5/851

The Acting Secretary of Defense (Lovett) to the Secretary of State

top secret

Washington, August 8, 1951.

Dear Mr. Secretary: In view of the urgency of the US-Philippine Security Treaty, I am transmitting immediately for your information and consideration the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. These are in response to your letter of 2 August 1951¹ and have already been informally presented to you and to Mr. Dulles.

Faithfully yours,

Robert A. Lovett

[Enclosure]

Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Marshall)

top secret

Washington, 8 August 1951.

Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense:

Subject: U.S.-Philippine Treaty of Alliance.

1. This memorandum is in response to your memorandum, dated 2 August 1951,² in which the views and recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were requested on a letter from the Secretary of State, dated 2 August 1951, in which he proposed the conclusion of a treaty of alliance with the Philippines.

2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff believe that no military advantage would accrue to the United States through the conclusion of a treaty of alliance with the Philippines to take the place of the mutual security arrangements now existing between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines which entered into force on 26 March 1947.³

3. However, they recognize that, when all considerations which bear on this matter are taken into account, it may be to the over-all advantage of the United States to have such a treaty of alliance. If that decision is reached, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that the suggested draft of the treaty forwarded to you by the Secretary of State under cover of his memorandum of 2 August, if it is used as a basis for entering negotiations with the Republic of the Philippines, be amended as follows, for the reasons stated:

a. Delete the third paragraph of the preamble which reads:—”Desiring further to strengthen their efforts for collective defense for the preservation of peace and security pending the development of a more comprehensive system of regional security in the Pacific area,”.

Reason: The paragraph quoted above carries with it the implication that the treaty under discussion is an interim measure and that there would be continuing discussion looking toward the development of a much more inclusive Pacific security arrangement.

b. Delete Article II of the proposed treaty.

Reason: The proposed Article II contains the implication that “mutual aid” will continue for an indefinite period and thus would provide a basis for never-ending requests from the Philippines for military aid from the United States. If it is determined that such deletion is impracticable, the article in question should be re-phrased to remove the inference which may be read into this article through use of the phrase which reads:—”by means of continuous and effective”.

c. In Article III the words “by external armed attack” should be inserted between the words “threatened” and “in”.

Reason: As written, Article III would require action by the United States in cases of internal uprisings in the Philippines, and it is felt that the article should clearly state that consultation is actually intended only in cases of threats from external sources.

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Omar N. Bradley

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff

1. Ante, p. 232.
2. Not found in Department of State files.

3. Reference is to the agreement between the two countries respecting military bases, signed at Manila March 14, 1947. For text, see TIAS No. 1775 or 61 Stat, (pt. 4) 4019. For documentation regarding negotiation of this agreement, see Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. viii, pp. 876 ff. and ibid., 1947, vol. vi, pp. 1102 ff.

   The agreement in question was not superseded by the conclusion of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty.