Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The American Republics, Volume IV

739.5 MSP/3–1452

The Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Miller) to the Director of the Office of Military Assistance in the Department of Defense (Olmsted)¹

secret

[Washington,] March 14, 1952.

My Dear General Olmsted: In view of certain recent developments, I should like to request that the concurrence of the Department of State in the proposal made to you by General Walsh² that the Dominican Republic be included in the military grant aid program for fiscal year 1952, under certain conditions, be withdrawn, at least for the time being, and that an approach to the Dominican Republic regarding negotiations for the necessary agreements be postponed. General Walsh has been informed of this request.

The essential reason for making the request is our view that the initiation of such negotiations following so closely upon recent developments in Cuba³ and the publicity attendant thereon, might have repercussions in other Latin American countries, and perhaps within the United States, which would adversely affect the continuance of the military assistance program and the achievement of our mutual objective of strengthening the defense of the hemisphere. In spite of the declared intention of the Batista regime to cooperate with the United States, its apparently successful seizure of power in Cuba may encourage groups in other Latin American countries, such as Panama, Ecuador and Chile, to take similar action in those countries which might bring into power elements opposed to the best interests of the United States. Under these circumstances the announcement at this time of the initiation by this Government of military assistance negotiations with the Dominican Government might be interpreted as an encouragement to anti-democratic forces in other Latin American countries. It is also considered likely that such announcement would not be favorably received by public and Congressional opinion in the United States.

I should like to emphasize that our request is for the postponement until a more opportune time of an approach to the Dominican Government. As you know, this Department has concurred in principle with the initiation of negotiations with the Dominican Government for a military assistance agreement on the basis of the Department of Defense’s view that it is militarily desirable for that Government to be invited to participate in the grant military assistance program.⁴

Sincerely yours,

Edward G. Miller, Jr.

1. Drafted by Mr. Jamison and Mr. Wellman; approved by Director of the Office of Middle American Affairs Nufer.
2. Maj. Gen. R. L. Walsh, Chairman of the U.S. Delegation to the Inter-American Defense Board.
3. Reference is to the successful coup d’ etat by Gen. Fulgencio Batista on Mar. 10, 1952; for information on the coup, see the second editorial note, p. 867.

4. In a letter to Major General Olmsted, dated Apr. 17,1952, Assistant Secretary Miller stated the following additional reasons for postponing an approach to the Dominican Government regarding its participation in the military grant aid program: (1) it was too late in the fiscal year to open negotiations without attaching conditions, and (2) the United States would not be able to give assurance that our equipment assistance would actually be forthcoming under the current authorization (739.5 MSP/4–1752).

   In a letter to Assistant Secretary Miller, dated Apr. 28, 1952, Major General Olmsted replied in part as follows: “In view of the circumstances, no practical disadvantages are foreseen to the further postponement of an approach to the Dominican Republic … until the completion of legislative action on the Fiscal Year 1953 Mutual Security Program” (739.5 MSP/4–2852).