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

S/S–NSC files, lot 63 D 351, NSC 5509 series

Report Prepared for the National Security Council¹

[Extract]

²

top secret
NSC 5509

[Washington,] March 2, 1955.

Section VIII—Latin America

NSC Policy Statements Dealing With MDAP for Latin America

[Here follow several paragraphs or parts thereof quoted from NSC 5432/1. For text of NSC 5432/1, of September 3, 1954, see page 81.]

military objectives

The general U.S. military objectives in the Latin American area are to insure the integrity of Latin America and the availability of raw materials therefrom with the minimum of U.S. forces.

mdap objectives^*

Within the framework of the general U.S. military objectives, to provide assistance in the form of military equipment and training essential for those forces committed to the Inter-American Defense Plan.

value of mda programs and performance

The revalidated FY 1950–54 program provides for $154.8 million of end-items and spares. Of this amount $122.5 million had been delivered by 31 December 1954, with $19.4 million delivered in the period July through December 1954. This does not include the value of packing, crating, handling and transportation which are reported only on an area level but approximate 8 to 10 percent of the value of total deliveries.

The approved FY 1950–55 training program provides a total of $7.5 million for training activities. As of 31 December 1954, $1.7 million had been utilized for formal and other training.

The following Latin American countries are eligible to participate in the reimbursable assistance program:

Argentina	Colombia	Ecuador	Honduras	Paraguay
Bolivia	Costa Rica	El Salvador	Mexico	Peru
Brazil	Cuba	Guatemala	Nicaragua	Uruguay
Chile	Dominican Republic	Haiti	Panama	Venezuela

As of 31 December 1954 they had purchased $45.4 million of enditems and spares of which $39.7 million had been delivered.

effect of mdap on area

The United States is actively participating militarily with the Latin American countries through the Inter-American Defense Board. The diplomatic military negotiations leading to Latin American countries participating in MDAP were conducted through that Board.

The Latin American countries receiving aid are expected to assume a part of the burden of hemispheric defense, not only in the form of preservation of internal security, but also in the defense of their own territories and by participation in combined operations, in defense of the Hemisphere or elsewhere.

The purpose of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program to Latin America is to provide equipment and training required by selected units of certain Latin American Republics to enable them to discharge specific military roles and missions assumed by such countries. MDAP is directed in part to counter trends toward establishment of European Military Missions or other groups with similar functions in Latin America. The United States now has Grant Military Assistance Programs in force with the following Latin American countries: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua and Uruguay.

Prior to the inception of the program the armed forces of the American Republics were hampered by lack of adequate facilities and obsolete military equipment. The Army forces supported in each country are extremely small, consisting generally of one battalion per country. In the Navy, the program is largely restricted to placing modern equipment on a small number of existing vessels. In the Air Force, the grant aid program to date is entirely for propeller-driven aircraft suitable for patrol purposes. The several countries have demonstrated their ability to utilize and maintain the equipment delivered to them. The program is helping to standardize, along U.S. lines, not only the equipment but also the organization, training and doctrine in selected units.

jcs comments for nsc report—latin america

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff have noted a trend toward increased purchases of European military equipment by Latin American countries. They consider the introduction of large quantities of non-U.S. military equipment will eventually defeat the important U.S. objectives of standardization for Latin American armed forces and of countering trends toward establishment of European military missions in Latin America. To check these developments, it will be necessary to improve the competitive position of U.S. equipment. It has been recommended that, if necessary, new legislation be sought to insure that procedures and methods are adopted that will enhance the U.S. competitive position.”

jcs force goals and levels

Forces of Latin American Nations In Being as Compared With Force Goals³

Ground Forces Table

Country	Forces in Being 31 Dec 54	Planned Force Levels 31 Dec 54†	Forces Supported Under FY 1950–54 MDAP‡
Brazil	1 RCT with SV Spt	1 RCT w/Sv Spt	1 RCT w/Sv Spt
	1 AA Gun Bn (90 MM)	4 AA Gun Bns (90 MM)	4 AA Gun Bns (90 MM)
Colombia	1 AA AW Bn (40 MM)	1 AA AW Bn (40 MM)	1 AA AW Bn (40 MM)
	1 Inf Bn	1 Inf Bn	1 Inf Bn
Chile	1 Recon Sqn, mechanized	1 Recon Sqn, mechanized	1 Recon Sqn, mechanized
Cuba
Peru	1 AA (AW) Bn (40 MM)	1 AA (AW) Bn (40 MM)	1 AA (AW) Bn (40 MM)
Nicaragua	1 Inf Bn	1 Inf Bn	1 Inf Bn
Guatemala
Honduras	1 Inf Bn	1 Inf Bn	1 Inf Bn
Ecuador	1 AA (AW) Bn	1 AA (AW) Bn	1 AA (AW) Bn
Uruguay	None	1 AA (AW) Bn	1 AA (AW) Bn

jcs force goals and levels

Naval Forces Table (Combined table for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela)

Type of Unit	Forces in Being 31 Dec 54	Planned Force Levels 31 Dec 54§	Forces Supported Under FY 1950–54 MDAP||
Battleships (OBB)	3
Cruisers (CA/CL)	9	4	4
Destroyers (DD/ODD)	34	19	19
Escort Vessels (DE, PF, PG)	44	27	27
Patrol Craft (PCE, PC, PGM, SC)	69	16	16
Minecraft	16	1	1
Submarines (SS)	2	2	2
OSS for ASW training	17	4	4
Landing Ships	37
PT, PR, PY	35
Observation Sqn	1
Patrol Sqn	1
Attack Sqn	1
Transport Sqn	2
Recon Sqn (Composite)	3	2	2

Note: There are no MDA Programs in effect at the present time in Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela.

jcs force goals and levels

Air Forces Table (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay)

Type of Unit	Forces in Being 31 Dec 54¶	Planned Force Levels 31 Dec 54**	Forces Supported Under FY 1950–54 MDAP††
Fighter-Bomber	200	202	200
Light Bomber	79	84	80
Reconnaissance	5	4	5
Transport	7	7	10
Total	291	297	295

1. The report, titled “Status of United States Programs for National Security as of December 31, 1954,” consists of a series of eight parts and an annex, separately dated and prepared by the following agencies: Department of Defense (Part 1—The Military Program), Department of Defense and the Foreign Operations Administration (Part 2—The Mutual Security Program), Atomic Energy Commission (Part 3—The Atomic Energy Program), Office of Defense Mobilization (Part 4—The Mobilization Program), Federal Civil Defense Administration (Part 5—The Civil Defense Program), United States Information Agency (Part 6—The USIA Program), Central Intelligence Agency (Part 7—The Foreign Intelligence Program and Related Activities), Interdepartmental Intelligence Conference and the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security (Part 8—The Internal Security Program), and Operations Coordinating Board (Annex A—Activities of the Operations Coordinating Board). The over-all report is undated; it was distributed to the members of the NSC on Mar. 2, 1955.
2. This extract is from Part 2, titled “Department of Defense Report to National Security Council on Status of Military Assistance Programs as of 31 December 1954,” dated Mar. 1, 1955.
3. See “objectives” page 5. [Footnote in the source text.]
3. A note on the source text indicates that the information in the following tables was based on a JCS memorandum, dated Feb. 18, 1955, no copy of which was found in Department of State files.
4. FY 1954 basis for Program Refinement. [This footnote and subsequent footnotes are in the source text.]
5. Army FY 1950–54 Combined Program. The Uruguayan Government has failed to furnish administrative funds for MAAG personnel. Present plans are to attach personnel to the AF Mission to implement the Army Program.
6. FY 1954 basis for Program Refinement.
7. Navy FY 1950–54 Combined Program.
8. US type aircraft only.
9. PE–56–1M.
10. SS–A–13.