Office of the Historian

761.6211/72: Telegram

The Chargé in Japan (Dooman) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, August 23, 1939—7 p.m.
[Received August 23—12:46 p.m.]

428. Our 427, August 23, 4 p.m. sent via Peiping64 presents a general review of Japanese press reaction to the forthcoming German-Soviet non-aggression treaty.65 The Japanese press has been profoundly shocked by the announcement; notwithstanding the obvious reluctance of the Japanese Government to enter into an alliance with Germany and its desire to retain a free hand in respect of purely European problems, the Anti-Comintern Pact has provided a framework within which there could be concerting of policies by Japan with Germany and Italy and has therefore received much lip service; and the present announcement has brought forth open denunciation of Germany for having in effect done away with the Anti-Comintern Pact and a thinly concealed feeling of betrayal of [by] Germany.

2.
In Government circles as well as among the populace those who are usually well-informed and willing to talk to us are dazed and virtually incoherent. The predominant note which they sound is one of anger that Germany gave Japan no prior notice of the negotiations although Italy was fully consulted. In official Japanese circles it is admitted that the “situation has been completely reversed”. The Polish Ambassador informed me that his Military Attaché called on the Vice-Minister of War and that the latter expressed himself in substantially those terms. The feeling of resentment toward Germany is, I gather, not unlike that of the British feeling against Soviet Russia.
3.
At this time of confusion of thought among the Japanese themselves, no responsible prediction can be made of the decision which will ultimately have to be reached by the Japanese Government to meet the changed situation. The thoughts which are being most widely discussed are:
(a)
As the new German-Soviet agreement would be inoperative in the event of aggression on the part of either power, it is conceivable that the Soviet Government might now join England and France in a [Page 52] military agreement against aggressors. No final decision can therefore be reached until that point has been clarified;
(b)
So long as Germany has seen fit to come to terms with Russia, Japan might consider taking up the Soviet offer of a non-aggression pact which has not been withdrawn since it was put forward in 1931. The difficulties such as the likely Soviet demand that Japan withdraw its troops from Manchuria in conformity with the Portsmouth Treaty66 are serious but not necessarily incapable of being overcome.
(c)
Even though an alliance with Germany would not be useful to Japan in a war against Russia, the greatly enhanced prestige of Germany and Italy would give Japan if allied to those powers substantial support for Japanese operations against British interests in Asia in the event of a war in Europe.
(d)
Germany has definitely proven its untrustworthiness and Japan should therefore endeavor to restore friendly relations with the democratic powers.
4.
The predominant feeling at this moment seems to be that Japan should completely wash its hands of both European camps. It is, however, a notable fact that those favoring restoration of friendly relations with the democratic powers are speaking in much more confident terms than the very definite minority who would still have Japan allied with Germany and Italy.
5.
As of possible interest the Foreign Minister informed the Polish Ambassador this morning that although the Japanese Government has for some time been suspicious of the German-Soviet negotiations (please see last sentence, paragraph 1, of our 314, July 6, 5 p.m.67) it had no knowledge until yesterday that the negotiations contemplated the conclusion of an anti-aggression pact. It was plain to the Ambassador that the Foreign Minister had no clear conception of the course which he would pursue.

Repeated to Peiping. Peiping please repeat to Chungking and Shanghai.

Dooman
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. For correspondence regarding German-Soviet negotiations, see vol. i , section entitled “The Improvement of German-Soviet Relations Culminating in the Treaty of Nonaggression …”; for text of the agreement signed at Moscow, August 23, see Department of State, Nazi-Soviet Relations, 1939–1941, p. 76.↩
  3. Treaty of peace between Japan and Russia, signed at Portsmouth, N. H., August 23, 1905, Foreign Relations, 1905, p. 824.↩
  4. Not printed.↩