67. Memorandum of a Conversation, U Than Hla’s Residence, Washington, May 25, 19571
SUBJECT
- U.S. Military Assistance
PARTICIPANTS
- U Ba Swe, First Deputy Prime Minister, Union of Burma
- U Than Hla, Counselor, Burmese Embassy
- Mr. Kenneth T. Young, Jr., Director, SEA
- Mr. Lewis M. Purnell, Officer-in-Charge, Burmese Affairs, SEA
During a farewell call on the Deputy Prime Minister at the home of U Than Hla, Mr. Young suggested that it might be useful to have an informal discussion of several pending problems before the former departed from Washington. U Ba Swe immediately agreed.
To clarify the status of U.S. military assistance to Burma, Mr. Young called attention to General Erskine’s mission to Burma and remarked that General Erskine’s report2 and Burma’s request for equipment were being reviewed by the experts around Washington at the working level. No policy decision had been made and none would be for a month or two at least. He added that it is now impossible to say whether the U.S. can be of assistance in view of pending Congressional action on budget requests. Mr. Young asked U Ba Swe whether the Burmese request for military assistance had GUB approval and if the GUB were seriously interested in our trying to work out a program of military assistance.
U Ba Swe replied that the request for military assistance had the approval of the Burmese Defense Council and had been cleared with the Prime Minister. He said Burma very much wants U.S. assistance—not only equipment but also U.S. expert training both in Burma and abroad. He added that after the last failure to obtain U.S. assistance in 1955 the GUB is handling current requests with much more caution and reserve. In elaborating the kind of military assistance Burma desires, U Ba Swe said it is generally agreed that the Armed Forces have enough arms to take care of internal disturbances. However, Burma will need help to build up forces to protect Burma’s integrity and independence from external threats. U Ba Swe said that regardless of whether U.S. aid is forthcoming, Burma will begin to develop the forces needed. He said Burma does not have grandiose ideas and intends to develop slowly making certain that more arms and equipment are not available until the men and organization are ready to utilize them properly. In this connection he commented that arms and equipment in excess of capability had been the root of Chiang’s troubles in China.
Continuing, U Ba Swe said the GUB would like to start out with the organization of one or two divisions with new modern equipment; and with a universal military training program it is planned to [Page 108] rotate men through these divisions to prepare them for modern warfare.
In discussing the mode of possible U.S. assistance, U Ba Swe stated emphatically that it would have to appear that Burma was buying the equipment from the U.S. He said that it would be helpful if concession prices could be given but Burma would be interested even if this were not possible. He stressed however that long-term credit would be essential and payment in local currency would be desirable.
Commenting on the U.S. instructors which he thought would be essential to Burma’s utilization of U.S. assistance, U Ba Swe said these instructors would have to be under separate direct contracts to the GUB but that one of these officers could be designated to coordinate all the activities of the others, thus assuring effective controls on personnel and programs from the U.S. point of view.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790B.5–MSP/5–2557. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Purnell.↩
- Not found in Department of State files, but a memorandum of April 24 from Young to Robertson, with attached handwritten notes of an April 25 conversation between General Erskine and Robertson, indicate that Erskine had recommended aid to Burma well in excess of $10 million. (Ibid., 790B.5–MSP/4–2457)↩
- Another memorandum of conversation of the same date by Purnell records a brief discussion during this conversation of possible U.S. aid to the Burmese police. U Ba Swe stated that Burma was interested in U.S. advisers, training facilities, and assistance in obtaining equipment and in setting up an efficient organization. (Ibid., 890B.501/5–2557)↩