887.24/709
The Adviser on Political Relations ( Duggan ) to the Ambassador in Cuba ( Messersmith )
Dear Mr. Messersmith: I refer to your letter of January 309 with regard to military cooperation with Cuba.
Orme Wilson has been kind enough to secure from the War and Navy Departments indications of their intentions regarding the delivery of military and naval matériel to Cuba. There are attached hereto copies of the pertinent section of a memorandum9 prepared by Orme Wilson regarding the Navy’s intentions as well as a memorandum9 from the War Department regarding its proposals.
In addition, I believe it will be feasible to make available to Cuba some of the coast defense guns which Admiral Johnson and General Embick mentioned to you when you were here. We will work this out and let Ellis Briggs10 know what can be offered.
We will press with the Navy Department for the possibility that the President mentioned to you of taking over some cabin cruisers in the 100–foot class and giving at least ten of them to Cuba.
Mr. Welles11 is taking up at the next meeting of the Liaison Committee12 the question of whether a Defense Commission similar to the Mexican one should be established or whether it would be preferable to send to Cuba a Military, Naval, and Marine Commission to assist in the Cuban Army and Navy.
I suppose that this will be my last letter to you on Cuban subjects so I take the opportunity of telling you once again how much I have enjoyed our association on Cuban matters as well as how much I am looking forward to continuing them with regard to Mexico.
With very best regards,
Yours as ever,
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- Ellis O. Briggs became Chargé in Cuba when Ambassador Messersmith terminated his duties in Cuba on February 8, 1942, to become Ambassador to Mexico.↩
- Sumner Welles, Under Secretary of State.↩
- A high level committee of representatives of the War, Navy, and State Departments.↩