American policy toward Argentina in 1944 was determined by the Secretary of State’s conviction that a pro-Axis group ran the Argentine government. Observing that Argentina had an extensive record of friendly assistance toward the Axis, Cordell Hull cited specific charges. German firms received large government contracts. Axis diplomats were allowed the freedom of the country. Axis espionage activities were widespread, and pro-Nazi newspapers enjoyed government support. It is true that in January 1944 there seemed to be a chance for cooperation between the United States and the regime of General Pedro Ramírez. When General Edelmiro Farrell overthrew Ramírez in February all cooperation ceased. Convinced that the new government was itself totalitarian and that it was systematically setting out to destroy what was left of democracy in the country, Hull refused to recognize Farrell.
But nonrecognition did not satisfy the secretary; he worked actively to get rid of the government. Because Hull felt so strongly, he ignored the promise of noninterference made in the 1930s. He tried, for example, to get Great Britain to cut down on meat purchases from Argentina. Lawrence Duggan, his own arguments reinforced by the opinion of JCS, did his best to convince Hull that the situation in Argentina was no longer a threat to the security of the hemisphere and suggested a conference of the inter-American foreign ministers to break the Argentine impasse. But Hull persisted in his belief about Farrell.
With regard to the other Latin American countries, the volume deals primarily with questions arising from the war. The department gave a great deal of attention to the problem of getting essential goods to Latin America, such as gasoline, coal, trucks, buses, and so forth. Lack of shipping and the strategic considerations of the United States in World War II obviously restricted the flow of needed supplies.
The old problem of nonpayment of service charges on bonds came up, and Roosevelt’s policy reminded this reader of President Taft’s. Of course the Department also worried about political developments in Latin America. As one expert said: “[The] problem of support for democratic processes is not an easy one and was discussed at some length in the staff meeting this morning.” Just think what might have happened if they had discussed it in the afternoon too.
