240. Letter From the Ambassador in Brazil (Briggs) to the Officer in Charge of Brazilian Affairs (Siracusa)1
Dear Ernie: Woodie Wallner and I have given considerable thought to your letter of May 22 suggesting that the Embassy prepare a piece on the subject “Brazil is the Biggest Good Neighbor”, but on consideration we are somewhat reluctant to do so. Not only would the document suffer in the eyes of its readers from overtones of “my post is the most important in the world”, but substantively the Embassy here does not possess all the elements for a convincing paper on an essentially multilateral subject.
We shall of course continue to supply you with supporting material. The essential elements are so obvious that is seems trite to recapitulate them. Brazil is half the continent in area and population. In resources and rate of growth (it will have 100 million people by 1980) it stands alone and is already the only country in South America with a substantial domestic market. Its relative importance to the other eight South American states can, it seems, only increase. So much for the material side (with a footnote referring you to Colonel Hanford’s testimony before Congress a year ago on Brazil’s strategic and military importance to the United States).3
The human side of Brazil’s “differentness” is no less impressive. If you don’t believe sixty million Brazilians when they tell you they are different from their continental neighbors, just ask the Spanish Americans. Their replies may not always be couched in polite language, but they will be unanimous.
Finally, Brazil feels herself an emerging world power. Whether today she is or not may be debatable. But how about Brazil one generation hence? The Department knows where my bet is placed. Is time not overripe for it to undertake a reassessment, in ARA or perhaps in the Policy Planning Staff?
[1 paragraph (10 lines of source text) not declassified]
Sincerely yours,