411. Memorandum From the Second Secretary of Embassy in the Philippines (Brand) to the Counselor of Embassy (Walker)1
SUBJECT
- Significance of Military Bases to United States-Philippine Relations
Under the Military Bases Agreement of 1947 the United States has established three important military installations in the Philippines: A standby forward Air Force Base at Clark Field in Central Luzon; a major Fleet and Fleet Air Base at Subie Bay just outside Manila Bay on the Luzon west coast; and a Naval Air Station at Sangley Point in the city of Cavite on Manila Bay. None of these three bases were established to meet the demands of modern warfare; each rather is a more or less effective modernization of an old base established by the United States Army or Navy in the 1898 period. Each of them has serious disadvantages in the light of modern warfare conditions. Thus, the United States bases in the Philippines exist very largely because of convenience; they were already in existence during the American period before the war and they have been continued because United States military forces were already in them. Militarily they are vulnerable and therefore probably of marginal value and importance.
For a variety of reasons, however, continued existence of the bases is of political importance to the United States. We cannot afford the adverse impression which would be caused by the serious decline in Philippine-United States relations which would result from abrogation of the 1947 Agreement and closure of the bases here. For us too the bases are a symbol—first, of our determination to defend the Philippines and other free nations in Southeast Asia; secondly, of the military might which stands behind the relatively small forces actually stationed here. It is vitally important, therefore, that the United States reach a satisfactory agreement with the Philippines to settle the outstanding problems of the Bases Agreement. However, we must remember that these bases are more important to the Filipinos than they are to us and, therefore, we must not allow ourselves to be pushed so far by them as to make them forget the advantages which they obtain from the bases.
From the Philippine point of view the bases are of considerable political and economic importance. First, they are a visible symbol to the Filipino people that the United States will shoulder the burden of [Page 687] defending this country. In this way the continued existence of the Philippines as an independent nation appears assured. Secondly, the bases are of decided importance to the economies of the areas in which they are located. Clark Field provides the only promise of a decent job for many citizens of landlord-ridden, poverty-stricken Pampanga Province. Subic Bay is the only absorber of excess population in the remote and under-developed Provinces of Zambales and Bataan. Without Sangley Point the city of Cavite would be a ghost town.
The advantages of the bases are understood by all leading Filipino politicians. However, the chauvinist wing finds the bases a ready source of ammunition with which to attack the present administration as a subservient tool of the American imperialists. The Philippine chauvinists seize eagerly on each minor incident between the United States soldiers and Filipinos and through their controlled press and radio magnify it into a major incident.
Therefore, although the presence of United States bases is generally accepted by Filipinos and despite the fact that relations between soldiers and local civilians are much better than in the neighborhood of many bases in Western Europe, the questions arising out of the administration of bases can provide material for serious trouble in the unstable emotional Filipino situation. For this reason it is extremely important that major military commanders assigned to this country appreciate the sensitivities of the Filipinos and avoid exacerbating minor incidents into highly emotional issues. It is important that the long-time existence of cordial relations between United States unit commanders and local Filipino officials no longer be used as an excuse for postponing action to solve legitimate Filipino grievances.
Successful conclusion of the current bases negotiations is an absolute pre-condition to any re-evaluation of the United States program toward the Philippines. No improvements in the United States approach to this country will have any important effect until by reaching a satisfactory solution to the bases problem we have (a) reaffirmed our recognition of Philippine sovereignty and independence and (b) demonstrated our willingness to settle the numerous nagging questions which military commanders have refused to discuss for far too many years. Once we have removed the basis for accusations that the United States is attempting to infringe on Philippine sovereignty and that the United States military still treats the Philippines as its colonial possession, the general atmosphere can be expected to cool off and the psychological situation will be far more favorable to us. Only in such an atmosphere can we expect that carefully formulated, realistically redesigned and improved programs to [Page 688] solve specific political, economic, and military problems will be received with the enthusiasm they deserve.
- Source: Department of State, Manila Embassy Files: Lot 76 F 161, 430.3, Military Bases—General. Secret.↩