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

GT–27. Memorandum from the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Merchant)¹

Washington, April 4, 1960

SUBJECT

• Caribbean Arms Policy: Sale of Surplus B–26 Bombers to the Government of Guatemala

Discussion:

Our Caribbean arms policy evolved out of increasing tensions in the area and the threat of Cuban aggression against other countries in the Caribbean area. It was shaped in part also by other developments, among them a break in relations between the Governments of Mexico and Guatemala as a result of the machine-gunning by the Guatemalan Air Force on December 31, 1958, of a number of Mexican shrimp-fishing boats that had ignored orders to leave Guatemalan waters. As a result of this particular incident, we were asked by the Mexican Government to withhold delivery of a number of surplus demilitarized B-26 bombers that we had agreed on December 5, 1958, to sell to the Government of Guatemala. Although we had already notified the Government of Guatemala orally that it could send a team to inspect the planes, we acceded to the Mexican request, predicating suspension of sale arrangements, in our conversations with the Guatemalans, on the then notable increase in Caribbean tensions. Although Mexico and Guatemala patched up their differences in September, 1959, we were forced to continue to ignore Guatemala pleas to effect sale of the B-26 bombers in the interest of securing British cooperation in restricting arms shipments to the Caribbean area. The Guatemalan Government has continued to press for delivery of the planes in question. These circumstance have served to irritate our relations with Guatemala and to weaken the influence of our armed forces with the Guatemalan military.

One of the basic reasons for wanting to sell the B-26 planes to the Government of Guatemala is to prevent it from shopping elsewhere for armaments that it needs to replace depleted equipment. The maintenance of Guatemalan reliance on American equipment in essential to our retention of influence over its military. President Ydígoras, in January, let it be known that, should he have to shop elsewhere for planes, he would probably have to entrust training of his air force to other than a United States mission. Such a move would dissipate years-long efforts to establish close and friendly ties with the Guatemalan military, whose influence in local politics is traditional. The Department of Defense feels very strongly in this connection, and a communication to that effect was addressed to the Under Secretary of State by the Second Assistant Secretary of Defense on February 20, 1960. (TAB A).²

[text not declassified] The sale would involve six demilitarized standard B–26’s (three of which would be dismantled for spare parts), one B–26 equipped for photo reconnaissance, and one B–26 equipped as a VIP plane.

Recommendations:³

1. That ARA be authorized to release the B–26’s for sale to Guatemala [text not declassified]⁴

That you sign the attached letter (TAB C) to Mr. Irwin informing him that we have decided to sell the B–26s to Guatemala.⁵

1. Source: Department of State, Rubottom-Mann Files, Lot 62 D 418, “Guatemala, 1960.” Confidential. Codrafted by Owen and Correll. The source text is an unsigned carbon copy.
2. Not filed with the source text, but printed as Document GT–26.
3. The source text contains no indication of the Under Secretary’s action on these recommendations.
4. The British Embassy in Washington, having been informed of the decision in favor of the sale, requested the Department of State to limit delivery to two B–26s. (Letter from G. G. Brown to Edwin S. Vallon, Deputy Director, Office of Caribbean Affairs, April 15; 714.5622/4–1560).
5. Not attached to the source text. Merchant’s letter to Irwin, April 6, reads as follows: “I regret that we have taken so long in replying to your letter of February 20 to Under Secretary Dillon regarding the sale of B–26 aircraft to Guatemala. We have gone through a great deal of soul searching on the question and now I am happy to inform you that this Department is prepared to authorize the sale of the aircraft.” (714.5622/2–2060). Department of State authorization of the sale of eight B–26 aircraft to Guatemala was contained in a memorandum of April 27 to the Department of Defense. (714.5622/4–2760). President Ydígoras agreed to the offer on the same day. (Telegram 436 from Guatemala City, April 27; 714.5622/4–2760).