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

GT–42. Memorandum from the Secretary of State to the President¹

Washington, November 16, 1960

SUBJECT

• Requests for Assistance From Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.

In connection with my separate memorandum confirming our telephone conversation of November 14 on this subject,² the Guatemalan Embassy has today presented us with a request for assistance of the type as discussed.³ The Nicaraguan Government has likewise delivered a note today to our Embassy in Managua along similar lines. The Costa Rican Government has informed our Embassy that it believes surveilliance will not be necessary for the time being.

We do not yet have any proof that the Guatemalan rebels are supported by Castro or communist forces.

The purpose of our assistance would be to prevent the rebels from receiving any reimbursements or supplies that Castro or the commuists might try to send them. Under present conditions, however, the overt use of our military forces within Guatemalan jurisdiction would be inadvisable because they might appear to be taking sides in what may turn out to be an internal Guatemalan conflict.

I believe our forces should [illegible in the original] discreet surveillance in order to be able to lead [illegible in the original] assistance should its need become evident, but that they should not under present conditions attract attention in Guatemala.

I therefore recommend that you authorize the Secretary of Defense (a) to instruct our Naval units to remain on the high seas near Guatemala out of sight of lead and our aircraft to patrol at a height at which they will not attract attention and (b) to report promptly any evidences of a Castro or communist attempt to send the rebels supplies or reimbursements and to refrain from combat operations unless specifically authorized.

I would recommend further that you authorize a statement for the press, either from the White House or from the State Department, along the following lines, in the event a question is asked:

“In response to requests by the Governments of Guatemala and Nicaragua, surface and air units of the United States Navy are in a position in which they could assist these Governments, should it become necessary, to seek out and prevent intervention on the part of communist-directed elements in the internal affairs of Guatemala and Nicaragua through the landing of armed forces or supplies from abroad.”⁴

I have this morning discussed the foregoing with Secretary Gates and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and they are agreeable to the suggested procedure. General Lemnitzer has indicated that ships now available in the Florida area could arrive off the Guatemalan coast within 48 hours.

The ships available include an aircraft carrier and a small amphibious force with a contingent of Marines. It is my own feeling that given the possibility of leaks, it would be just as well not to have Marines aboard any of the surveilliance ships. General Lemnitzer points out the Marines would be merely on what is a routine and normal training [illegible in the original] in that area and that, should it be necessary to use the Marines, several days would be saved by having them aboard. I nevertheless feel it would be better to risk a delay than to risk the serious reaction which would inevitably follow should the rumor spread that Marines are en route to Gautemala.⁵

Christian A. Herter

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Herter Papers. Secret. Drafted by Coerr, Krebs, and Herter. The source text is an unsigned carbon copy. This memorandum incorporates recommendations in a memorandum of the same date from Mann to Herter. (ARA/OAP Files, Lot 63 D 127, “Guatemala”).
2. For the memorandum of this telephone conversation, November 14, see Document GT–39.
3. The request was contained in a note dated November 15 from Ambassador Alejos to Secretary Herter, which read in part as follows: “I have the honor to request the assistance of Your Excellency’s Government in a surveillance of the Caribbean approaches to Guatemala in detecting and preventing the intervention on the part of communist directed elements in the internal affairs of Guatemala through the landing of men and supplies from overseas.” (714.00/11–1560).
   A notation on this note reads as follows: “In lieu of a reply to this note, the President sent a special message to President Ydígoras on November 30, 1960.
   “File. R[ichard] A. G[odfrey] OAP/G 11/30/60.” For Eisenhower’s message dated November 28, but transmitted by telegram, November 30, 1960, see Document GT–46.
4. Telegram 348 to Guatemala, November 17, said that the President had issued the statement quoted above at Augusta, Georgia, on that date. (611.14/11–1760).
5. In a memorandum of conversation between the President, Secretary Herter, General Lemnitzer, and Press Secretary Hagerty at Augusta, Georgia, August 17, Brig. Gen. Goodpaster states that “one point of detail was as to whether a Marine battalion should be abroad the ships used in the surveillance operations. The President thought they should not be kept abroad, but should be left at the nearest suitable station. General Lemnitzer agreed that this could be done acceptably.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries)