810.20 Defense/10–1344: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil (Donnelly) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 14—2:46 a.m.]
3694. This is section 2 of telegram 3693 October 13.13 The Embassy has been informed by our naval authorities here that they are not planning to withdraw from Brazil until the war is over in Europe. However, demobilization plans are being drawn up by them so that they can be put into effect immediately the order is received from Washington. The Brazilian Navy thoroughly understands and is in complete agreement with this policy.
It appears that the communiqué14 was intended principally for home consumption. For example, there is no record here that Admiral Spears15 made the statement attributed to him in the first paragraph of the communiqué although he did emphasize the severity of war conditions in the Pacific. The Embassy is likewise informed that [Page 593] Admiral Ingram has consistently stressed to the Brazilian naval authorities that the American fleet would not be withdrawn from the South Atlantic until the conclusion of hostilities in Europe. The four destroyer-escorts recently transferred to Brazil now operate as a purely Brazilian escort group used on the Trinidad convoys but is under Admiral Ingram’s operational command like all other groups of the fourth fleet. Admiral Ingram told me a few days ago that it is his intention to assign as much of this work to the Brazilian Navy as possible.