WESTERN HEMISPHERE DEFENSE


623


setting forth very broad strategic concepts of hemisphere defense,
ýand (b) a detailed defense plan, specifying the individual roles
each
Ocountry should assume in hemisphere defense. An attemptwould be
made to formalize these recommendations of the IADB in a multi-
lateral agreement.
    It is my considered judgment that if we should embark on such a
 program, the result would be a series of highly inflated military roles
 ,and programs for practically all of the Latin American countries.
 This would create new problems conflicting with our political and
 teconomic policies in Latin America today.
    Since there is no time for a complete analysis of the NME paper
 .before you leave, I suggest our position at this point be to have the
 IADB stop after completing the "defense scheme" on which they
are
 .apparently already engaged,3 and have the NME prepare its own
 realistic appraisals of the specific roles that each Latin American
 country should be expected to fill. Such plans could then be presented
 -to other countries in whatever way seemed best at the time-whether
 through multilateral or bilateral channels. Do you agree?
    (2 ) Mr. Bruce's office 4 has asked us to state our views regarding
 military assistance for Latin American countries during FY 1951.
 This information is necessary in the development of the budget for
 foreigon military assistance for FY 11951. I believe that we should
 ,continue to use existing legislation in making available to Latin
 American countries small amounts of equipment on a cash basis, but
 that we should not request Congress for funds to subsidize a program
 ýof equipment for Latin America. I believe, however, that we should
 try to obtain authority from Congress making it possible for the
 Navy to sell at their present value, rather than at their original cost
 .to the US, the old naval vessels which are in excess of the US Navy's
 needs.5 Do you agree? .61
                                                      JOHN C. DrELER

   All later drafts of the mentioned paper omitted reference to IADB formula-
tion of defense roles for individual American states. Mr. Dreier's letter
to Mr.
Miller of March 1, 1950, not printed, stated in part that the Bureau of Inter-
American Affairs was responsible for this deletion. (710.5/3-150)
   James Bruce was Director of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program.
   'In a memorandum of February 3, 1950, to Messrs. Miller, Barber, and Dreier,
G-eorge 0. Spencer.of the Office ,of Regional American Affairs had said in
part:
"'In my opinion, it is unfortunate that we failed to obtain authority
last session
for the sale of these ships. They are the most sensible type of military
equip-
mnent for Latin American countries to have. They are showy pieces of arma-
ment which would cater to the national pride of the other governments and
it
-would be difficult for military governments to use them in suppressing their
peoples. In the event o,f war, ,the other countries could make go od use
of them
by patrolling the supply lines between Latin America and the United States."
(720.5621/2-350)
  For text of Public Law 621, approved July 26, 19,50, see 64 Stat. 373.
See also
the letter from Secretary Johnson to Secretary Acheson, September 12, 1950,
p. 651.
  6Two pencilled marginal notes reading "OK E[dward] G M[iller]"
appear~
beside each numbered portion of the source text.