630


FOREIGN RELATIONS) 19 5 0, VOLUME I


As enacted by Congress, this law authorizes the transfer by sale of
such equipment to countries which have ratified the Inter-American
Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, but only with full cash reimburse-
ment of the original cost to the United States, including necessary
rehabilitation and service charges.
   d. The United States Delegation to the Inter-American Defense
 Board has recommended to the Board that the latter undertake the
 preparation of a common defense scheme for the maintenance of the
 peace and security of the continent, for approval by the American
 states as a basis for further planning toward the defense of the
 Hemisphere. 'The Inter-American Defense Board has adopted the
 recommendation of the United States Delegation, and the member
 governments of the Organization of American States have been noti-
 fied accordingly.
   e. The United States has complied with requests of most of the
 other American republics for U.S. military training missions.5
   f. Latin American military personnel have received, and are re-
 ceiving, training in U.S. military installations under existing
 legislation.
 The Present Situation
   6. The Latin American countries.could make their greatest contri-
 bution to collective effort in global war by providing for regional
 security to the maximum of their capabilities, thereby minimizing
 diversion of United States forces from the main effort. In addition
 some Latin American countries could provide offensive forces. How-
 ever, full realization of the Latin American potential for contributing
 to the prosecution of a war requires more effective inter-American
 military collaboration than now exists. Failure to achieve satisfactory
 collaboration would impose on United States forces requirements in
 excess of their efforts in World War II, and engender a situation
 detrimental to the security interests of the United States.
   7. In addition to such external hostile threats as might be projected
 against Latin America, communists in Latin America have the capa-
 bility of severely weakening any war effort of the United States by
 interfering with the source and transit of strategic materials, by dam-
 aging vital installations and by fomenting unrest and instability. In
 the event of war, the main deterrent to execution of this capability is
 the ability of the security forces of the Latin American nations to
 maintain internal security in support of -heir governments. Their em-
 ployment to this end can be facilitated through military collaboration
 under established inter-American procedures.
   8. Experience in military collaboration with Latin American coun-
 tries since the war has shown that many of them have a desire for
 military equipment in excess of their economic capability to support.

    For pertinent information, see vol. ii, p. 671.