EMBASSY OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC Washington, March 28, 1945 U. P. No. 10

MR. DIRECTOR GENERAL:

With reference to the communication of His Excellency, Señor Don Ezequiel Padilla, President of the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, received through the Pan American Union with a note of the Director General dated March 14, I am pleased to inform you

First: That the Government of the Argentine Republic accepts the invitation extended to it by the twenty American Republics that participated in the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, and adheres to the Final Act of the Conference;

Second: That in order to identify the policy of the Nation with the common policy of the other American nations and associate itself with them against threats or acts of aggression of any country against an American State, the Government of the Nation yesterday declared a state of war between the Argentine Republic on the one hand and the Empire of Japan and Germany on the other;

Third: That in accordance with the position adopted, there shall be taken immediately all emergency measures incident to the state of belligerency, as well as those that may be necessary to prevent and repress activities that may endanger the war effort of the United Nations or threaten the peace, welfare or security of the American Nations.

For appropriate action I transmit herewith the text of the decree issued by the Executive Power which pertains to the above-mentioned measures.

I beg to remain, Mr. Director General, with assurances of my highest consideration.

RODOLFO GARCÍA ARIAS

[Enclosure]

Decree No. 6945/45

Buenos Aires, March 27, 1945

In view of the communication of the Director General of the Pan American Union enclosing a copy of the Final Act of the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace held at Mexico City, and a certified copy of Resolution LIX, approved March 7, 1945, by the twenty American States that participated in the aforementioned Conference, and considering:

That Article 6 of said resolution referring to our country, states that the Final Act is open to the adherence of the Argentine Republic and authorizes the President of the Conference so to inform the Government of the Argentine Republic through the Pan American Union;

That said resolution recognizes that the unity of the peoples of America is indivisible, and rightly affirms that the Argentine Republic is and always has been an integral part of the Union of the American Republics, and that it likewise considers that complete solidarity and a common policy among the American States in the event of threats or acts of aggression by any State against an American State are essential to the peace and security of the Continent;

That the Government of the Republic, pursuant to the established foreign policy of the Argentine Republic, reaffirmed its opposition to aggression and its solidarity with its sister nations by means of the declarations of the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship on March 7 of the present year, in which he referred especially to previous declarations of this Government based on Argentine tradition and policy;

That the preamble of the Act of Chapultepec and the principles it enumerates as incorporated in the international law of our Continent since 1890, have at all times guided the foreign policy of the Nation and coincide with the principles of Argentine international policy;

That the Argentine Republic has always collaborated with the American States in all action tending to unite the peoples of the Continent; that this traditional policy of generations of Argentines from the early days of our independence has been inspired by a sentiment of true and effective Americanism, a consequence of the injunctions of the noble principles that have always regulated our international life, manifested and proclaimed by the Argentine Republic in Pan American conferences, incorporated in numerous laws, reflected in the work of the Pan American Union, and put into effect with disinterested effort;

That in view of the unanimous gesture of the sister nations that attended the Mexico City Conference, the Government of the Nation, animated by the highest ideals of Continental solidarity, the guiding principle of our international policy, cannot remain indifferent, in view of the elevated spirit of American confraternity;

That Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, as was recognized officially by the Argentine Government in a decree of December 9, 1941, declaring the United States, upon which Germany later declared war, a non-belligerent; that new aggressions on the part of Japan against any American nation are not impossible; that neighboring and friendly countries are now in a state of belligerency with the Empire of Japan and thus exposed to possible attack by the latter;

That in view of this situation, and new events that have occurred, the Government of the Nation, pursuant to its tradition of American solidarity, proposes once again to unify its policy with the common policy of the other States of the Continent in order to occupy the place that corresponds to it and to share the responsibilities that may devolve upon it;

That the Government of the Nation accepts and finds itself prepared to put into effect the principles, declarations and recommendations of the Mexico City Conference; that the provisions of Article 67, Section 21, and Article 86, Section 18, of the National Constitution and the decisions of the Supreme Court of the Nation authorize the taking of the measures consequent upon the acceptance by the Government of the Republic of the invitation of our sister nations; that in order to adopt such measures the Executive Power in the present circumstances considered it desirable to consult public opinion that would assure a knowledge of the popular will;

The President of the Argentine Nation, in a General Agreement with the Ministers, Decrees:

Article 1. The Government of the Nation accepts the invitation extended by the twenty American Republics participating in the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, and adheres to the Final Act of that Conference.

Article 2. In order to identify the policy of the Nation with that of the other American Republics and associate itself with them against threats or acts of aggression of any country against an American State, there is declared a state of war between the Argentine Republic on the one hand and the Empire of Japan on the other.

Article 3. There is likewise declared a state of war between the Argentine Republic and Germany, in view of the fact that the latter is an ally of Japan.

Article 4. Through the respective Ministers and Government Departments, there shall be adopted immediately the measures necessary for a state of belligerency, as well as those required to put to a definite end, all activity of persons, firms and enterprises of whatever nationality, that might endanger the security of the State or interfere with the war effort of the United Nations or threaten the peace, welfare, and security of the American Nations.

Article 5. This decree shall be communicated, published, listed in the National Register, and filed.

(Signed) EDELMIRO J. FARRELL
(Countersigned) CÉSAR AMEGHINO
ALBERTO TEISAIRE
JUAN D. PERON
AMARO AVALOS
JUAN PISTARINI
BARTOLOMÉ DE LA COEINA
JULIO C. CHECCHI

Sources: ibiblio

World War II: Argentina Declares War Against Japan and Germany