Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The American Republics, Volume IV

756B.5/3–855

Memorandum by the Commander in Chief, Caribbean (Harrison) to the Army Chief of Staff (Ridgway)¹

top secret

Quarry Heights, Canal Zone, 19 November 1954.

Subject:

• Planning Talks between the United States and Netherlands Military Representatives

1. Reference Department of the Army message 221843Z [October 1954], DA 969808,² top secret.

2. As directed by referenced message, military discussions between the United States Commander in Chief, Caribbean, and the Commander in Chief, Netherlands Antilles, were conducted at Quarry Heights, Canal Zone, on 10–11 November 1954. Agreements were reached on the major points under discussion and are contained in the paper attached as Inclosure 1.^*

3. Discussions were limited to defining tasks and formulating command relationships in the Caribbean. The agreement, as signed, differs only slightly from the guidance proposed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The reasons for the differences as they appear in the agreement are:

a. Defense Tasks

(1) It was mutually agreed that local defense and local combined defense were both defining the same task. Therefore, a single definition of the task has been written that includes both.

(2) The Netherlands delegation requested that the definition of local defense be expanded to include “local air and surface patrols.” This was considered to be in consonance with United States concepts and has been included in the definition of local defense in the agreement.

(3) It was mutually agreed that the definition of protection of sea communications in the proposed guidance was too voluminous and included statements concerning command relationships. Therefore, the definition has been revised.

(4) It was mutually agreed that the definition of area defense included statements concerning command relationships. Therefore, the definition has been revised.

b. Command Relationships

(1) The Netherlands delegation objected to the United States proposal that in time of war the Netherlands local defense commander might be under an intermediate commander designated by the United States Commander in Chief, Caribbean. They desired that the intermediate commander be specified as United States intermediate commander and for local prestige and political reasons he not be stationed in the island group of the Netherlands Antilles. The United States delegation concurred with the objections and agreed to specifying that the intermediate commander be a United States officer not based within the Netherlands Antilles. This change appears in the agreement.

(2) The Netherlands delegation proposed the establishment of a subarea around Aruba–Curacao or, in lieu of that, delegation of responsibility for the protection of the Lake Maracaibo–Aruba–Curacao tanker route to the Netherlands commander in the area. As neither of these were acceptable, a counterproposal was made to include in the agreement a statement recognizing the great importance of the lake-tanker route and that preference should be given by the Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet, to the employment of Netherlands escort units, if available, for its protection. This was agreed to by the Netherlands delegation, and the statement was included in the agreement.

4. For more detailed information regarding the conduct of the discussions, a brief summary of the major points discussed is attached as Inclosure 2.^†

5. Discussions were conducted in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, and in all cases points of disagreement were resolved without unpleasantness. The Netherlands delegation appeared to be satisfied with the results of the discussion and expressed a desire that the detailed planning talks be initiated in the near future. The agreement, as signed, does not deviate from United States policy and concept for emergency operations, nor does the agreement differ in principle from the guidance provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

W. K. Harrison

Lieutenant General, USA
Commander in Chief

Appendix “A”

top secret

Quarry Heights, Canal Zone, 11 November 1954.

Results of Planning Talks Between the Commander in Chief, Netherlands Antilles, and the United States Commander in Chief, Caribbean, 10–11 November 1954

In accordance with agreements of the respective governments, all discussions were limited to definition of defense tasks and formulation of command relationships in the Caribbean.

1. Defense Tasks

The defense tasks in the Caribbean area which are under consideration are defined as follows:

a. Local defense. All local measures taken to insure the security of the territory of the Netherlands Antilles and the important oil installations thereon, to include internal security, prevention of sabotage, and defense against hostile military action within the area, including local air and surface patrols and the protection of local inter-island traffic. In the event Netherlands and United States forces act in concert under a single commander, the term “combined local defense” will be used.

b. Protection of sea communications. All measures taken for the protection and control of shipping, including escort, convoy, and antisubmarine warfare operations.

c. Area defense. All measures taken to insure the over-all defense of the Caribbean area.

2. Command Relationships

It is agreed that command relationships shall be as follows:

a. Local defense.

(1) Under normal conditions of peace, local defense shall be the sole responsibility of the Commander in Chief, Netherlands Antilles, who will employ for this purpose Netherlands’ forces exclusively.

(2) In war or emergency, local defense initially will be the responsibility of the Commander in Chief, Netherlands Antilles, who then shall be under the command of the United States Commander in Chief, Caribbean, or a United States subordinate commander not based within the Netherlands Antilles. Should the United States, pursuant to the request of the Netherland authorities, furnish United States forces for purposes of local defense in such numbers as to substantially change the relative strength of United States and Netherlands forces, the nationality of the combined local defense commander will be subject to review.

(3) The maintenance of internal law and order and control of the civilian population shall at all times be the sole responsibility of the Netherlands authorities, and any military forces employed for this purpose shall exclusively be Netherlands’ forces.

b. Protection of sea communications. In the Caribbean area, protection of sea communications is the sole responsibility of the United States Commander in Chief, Atlantic. Netherlands forces whose primary assignment or capability is that of supporting the protection of shipping, may, at the discretion of the Netherlands authorities, be placed under the operational control of the United States Commander in Chief, Atlantic. The great importance of the Lake Maracaibo–Aruba–Curacao tanker route is recognized. Providing Netherlands Naval units are available in the Curacao area under emergency or war conditions, it is agreed that preference should be given by the Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet, to the employment of Netherlands escort units for the protection of shipping along this tanker route. In the event of global war or an emergency in which the security of the Caribbean area is threatened, the United States forces, combat or otherwise, which would be primarily concerned with the protection of sea communications, may be stationed in the Netherlands Antilles by consent of the Netherlands authorities. These forces shall normally remain under United States command. Under emergency conditions such forces may render service to the Commander in Chief, Netherlands Antilles, and may be temporarily placed under his operational control.

c. Area defense. The defense of the Caribbean area is the responsibility of the United States Commander in Chief, Caribbean. Netherlands forces whose primary assignment or capability is that of supporting area defense may, at the discretion of the Netherlands authorities, be placed under the operational control of the United States Commander in Chief, Caribbean. In the event of global war or an emergency in which the security of the Caribbean area is threatened, United States forces, combat or otherwise, which would be primarily concerned with the over-all defense of the Caribbean area, may be stationed in the Netherlands Antilles by consent of the Netherlands authorities. These forces shall normally remain under United States command. Under emergency conditions, such forces may render service to the Commander in Chief, Netherlands Antilles, and may be temporarily placed under his operational control.

3. Recommendation

It is recommended that the points of agreement contained herein be approved by the Netherlands and the United States authorities.

H. Bos

Commodore, RNN
Commander in Chief,
Netherlands Antilles

W. K. Harrison

Lieutenant General, USA
Commander in Chief,
Caribbean

1. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Vice Adm. A. C. Davis, transmitted this memorandum by the Commander in Chief, Caribbean, and its Appendix A to Secretary of State Dulles under cover of a letter dated Mar. 8, 1955. (756B.5/3–855) In the letter, Admiral Davis referred to Deputy Under Secretary of State Murphy’s letter to Deputy Secretary of Defense Anderson, dated Oct. 12, 1954, not printed, regarding the Netherlands Embassy’s aide-mémoire of Oct. 7, 1954 (see footnote 7, p. 149). He advised that the Department of Defense had reviewed the results of the discussions, found them consonant, in principle, with the guidance furnished the U.S. representative, and recommended that the Netherlands Government be informed of U.S. concurrence in the agreement. Admiral Davis also stated that the results of the planning talks were acceptable and, with the concurrence of the Netherlands Government, would be used as a basis for further detailed planning for the defense of the Caribbean area.
2. Not found in Department of State files.
3. Appendix hereto. [Footnote in the source text.]
4. Not attached hereto. [Footnote in the source text.]