Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume V, Microfiche Supplement, American Republics

CH–37. Memorandum from the Under Secretary of State (Dillon) to the President¹

Washington, June 2, 1960

MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT

SUBJECT

• Disaster Assistance to Chile²

With your encouragement, the United States Government has undertaken a major foreign disaster relief operation in Chile. We have airlifted from the U.S. two Army field hospitals, each with 400 beds and 210 Army personnel. We have also airlifted ten helicopters to operate in conjunction with the hospitals and to carry supplies to otherwise inaccessible areas. From the Canal Zone and the U.S., we have airlifted communications equipment and technicians, as well as large quantities of tents, blankets, cots, field rations, and medicines. Those expenses of emergency relief operations chargeable to the ICA contingency fund are expected to amount to approximately $2.5 million. This represents the cost of supplies and transportation but does not include the pay and allowances of personnel involved.

Of course, your own direct appeal to the American people to help Chile has had a dramatic impact both here and in Chile.³ U.S. voluntary private agencies, as well as firms and individuals, are making generous contributions in cash and kind to Chilean disaster relief. The American National Red Cross is organizing a major campaign which should raise millions of dollars. Taking into account the sum total of foreign contributions and the efforts of the Chileans themselves, there appears to be no need for any substantial new emergency assistance from the U.S. Government.

Even before the emergency relief operation is completed, we expect to devote urgent attention to Chile’s reconstruction requirements. Our Embassy in Santiago will soon be sending us a communication outlining the Chilean Government’s general policy and tentative action plan for reconstruction. On the basis of this communication, we hope soon to be able to make specific recommendations for courses of action by the U.S. Government. In the meantime, the Export-Import Bank has made available a $10 million dollar reconstruction credit.⁴

Douglas Dillon

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles-Herter Series.
2. Commencing May 21, Chile was struck by a series of earthquakes accompanied by tidal waves, avalanches, and floods, which caused more than 5,000 deaths and property damage estimated between $350 and $400 million.
   On May 24, President Eisenhower sent a message to President Alessandri, transmitted in Department telegram 869 to Santiago, which read as follows:
   “Dear Mr. President:
   “The news of the disasters in southern Chile has come as a personal shock to me. Through you, I convey to the Chilean people the profound sympathy of the United States Government and people.
   “With assurance of my continuing regard.
   Sincerely,
   (signed) Dwight D. Eisenhower”
   (Eisenhower Library, Project Clean Up, “Chile”)
3. For text of President Eisenhower’s statement, see Eisenhower, Public Papers of the Presidents, 1960, pp. 467–468.
4. For additional information concerning U.S. emergency assistance to Chile, see Department of State press release [illegible in the original]83, dated May 26, printed in Department of State Bulletin, June 13, 1960, pp. 967.