Office of the Historian

839.00/7–2847

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs (Wright)

confidential
[Washington,] July 28, 1947.

I called Ambassador Norweb34 Sunday evening, July 27, to say that two of the telegrams we had received from him (Nos. 402 and 40535) spoke of informing us of the “time of departure of aircraft and vessels”. This had thrown a bit of a scare into me, for I had thought that we had made it clear that we wanted all possible done with the Cuban Government to prevent the departure of the aircraft and vessels. We greatly appreciated his reporting which was excellent and approved the action he had taken up to date. However, we wanted him, if necessary, to go back to the authorities to make it clear to them, if it were not already clear, how dimly we would view the departure of the aircraft and vessels. We wanted to avoid a pitched battle. Ambassador Norweb said that he would take it up further and, if necessary, try to get in touch with President Grau.36

  1. R. Henry Norweb, Ambassador in Cuba.↩
  2. Neither printed.↩
  3. Ambassador Norweb saw the Cuban Foreign Minister on July 27 and stated that it was hoped that no action would occur which would disturb the peace of the Western Hemisphere. The Minister admitted that the Government was aware of what was occurring, and that the Government was following activities in order to prevent any abuse of hospitality.↩