June 1947

TOP SECRET

BASE AT MANUS

Note left by Admiral Denfeld [1]

The State Department is instructing Ambassador Butler to discuss
the Manus situation with the Australian authorities along the
following lines. The United States Government as a part of the
common war effort against Japan was glad to build certain defense
facilities at Manus. These facilities were, of course, constructed
with the full approval and co-operation of the Australian
Government. They were used with considerable effectiveness in the
war against the common foe.

The Japanese have now been defeated. The Australian forces took
their full part in this struggle and made notable contributions to
the victory. The Japanese military menace which caused the
construction of the facilities of Manus has now been removed.

During the latter part of 1943 the United States Joint Chiefs of
Staff began to give consideration to the defense facilities
constructed in the course of World War II in which the United
States would wish to obtain post-war rights of use. Since that
time this problem has been under constant review by the United
States Joint Chiefs of Staff. On March 14, 1946 the Department of
State sent a memorandum to the Australian Legation in Washington
proposing the negotiation of an agreement between the United
States and Australia under which the United States would have
joint rights of use of such of the military facilities at Manus as
the responsible military authorities of the two countries agreed
should be maintained in the future by Australia. The Australian
Government has indicated a willingness to consider such an
agreement. In the meantime the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff
have again considered this matter and they are now of the opinion
that it would be preferable for the United States forces to
withdraw completely from Manus and for no agreement according
post-war military rights to the United States at Manus to be
concluded.

The United States Government has decided to act on this advice of
the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff and to withdraw its
request that the two Governments conclude an agreement according
post-war military rights to the United States at Manus for the
following four reasons:

(1) Manus is of slight strategic interest to the United States in
view of the base facilities available to the United States in the
former Japanese mandated islands and in the Philippines.

(2) In view of the present international situation an agreement
according the United States military rights at Manus might set an
undesirable example to other countries which might offset many
times over the small strategic value of such rights of the United
States.

(3) The United States and Australia both loyally support the
United Nations and may be depended upon to support action in that
organisation against an aggressor.

(4) In view of the identity of interests between the United States
and Australia and the excellent relations between the two
countries, it would, of course, be possible to make a special
arrangement in an emergency at any time in the future it became
necessary.

In due course the Australian Government will make an agreement
with the Security Council under Article 43 of the Charter setting
forth the forces and facilities which Australia will make
available to the Security Council on its call. The United States
Government hopes that the Australian Government will give
consideration to including the facilities at Manus in any such
agreement which the Australian Government may conclude.