26. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of Regional American Affairs (Jamison) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Holland)1

SUBJECT

  • Assignment of Intelligence Advisers to U.S. Army Missions in Latin America

The Ambassador of Guatemala has requested the Army to assign an intelligence adviser to the U.S. Army Mission in Guatemala. This adviser is to set-up a program in the Guatemalan Army to train personnel in internal security and counter-intelligence. The Army has already indicated that it will supply the requested officer if the Department of State concurs.

The Army has heretofore consistently refused to provide such personnel for assignment to military missions in Latin America because the Army considered it would result in disclosure of its counter-intelligence measures. The present decision on the part of the Army to supply the requested personnel represents a change of policy. The Army has indicated that it would be prepared to supply [Page 70] such personnel to other countries in Latin America if requested to do so.

The assignment of an intelligence adviser to perform the function of training military personnel in internal security and counterintelligence raises the question of whether such an assignment will serve as a precedent for the assignment of such advisers to missions in other countries where their advice may be used to help control the non-communist opposition rather than communist or other actually dangerous subversives. This danger should be recognized and we should insist that any approval of the Guatemalan request is based upon unique circumstances and that any future request for such an assignment be reviewed by the Department. In the specific case of Guatemala, the assignment of a qualified intelligence adviser might help establish closer relations with the military so that we could keep better informed on its activities. On the other hand, the Guatemalan military might consider such an intelligence adviser a threat to any plot which it might be hatching against the government and the Guatemalan military might be even less willing to take our military into its confidence.

In view of the special circumstances in Guatemala with respect to the maintenance of internal security, and in view of the fact that the President of Guatemala has requested this intelligence adviser and Amb. Armour has concurred in this request, through a letter to General Trudeau,2 it is recommended that the Army be informed that we concur in supplying the requested officer. It is suggested that the Army also be informed that we consider this case unique and we desire to be consulted if similar requests are received from other Latin American governments, so that such requests may be considered on their merit. At the same time, it is suggested that Amb. Armour be informed of this action and that he be requested to pay particular attention to the manner in which the activities contemplated by this assignment are carried out to insure that they are confined within proper limits and assist in the achievement of our objectives.3

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 714.58/3–2155. Confidential.
  2. Major General Arthur G. Trudeau, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence.
  3. In a memorandum of March 24, George O. Spencer, Acting Officer in Charge of Inter-American Military Assistance Affairs, informed Colonel William F. Kaufman, Chief of the Latin American branch, G–3, Department of the Army, that the Department of State approved the assignment of an intelligence adviser to the U.S. Army mission in Guatemala. (Department of State, Central Files, 714.58/3–2455)