Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume IV

711.94/2180: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)

Washington, August 18, 1941—6 p.m.

512. For the Ambassador and the Counselor only. Your 1266, August 18, 8 p.m. On August 17 the President sent for the Japanese Ambassador and I was present when the President received him.¹³ The President referred to the exploratory conversations which I had been holding with the Japanese Ambassador, to the President’s proposal of July 24 in regard to Indochina,¹⁴ to the fact that Japan has continued to pursue its movement of conquest, to the desire expressed by the Japanese Government that there be provided a fresh basis for amicable and mutually profitable relations between our two countries, and to the patient course toward Japan which this Government had followed. The President then went on to say that if the Japanese Government takes any further steps in pursuance of a program or policy of military domination of neighboring countries by force or threat of force, this Government would be immediately compelled to take whatever steps might be necessary toward safeguarding its legitimate interests and rights and those of American nationals and toward insuring the security and safety of the United States.

The Ambassador was given a written record of this oral statement.¹⁵

The Japanese Ambassador then made reference to the question which he had raised on August 8 with me¹⁶ in regard to the possibility of the heads of the Japanese Government and the Government of the United States meeting with a view to discussing possible means of adjusting relations between the two countries and to the desire expressed by the Japanese Ambassador to me on the previous day for a resumption of the informal conversations which had been in progress between the two Governments. The President then reminded the Ambassador of what I had said previously to the Ambassador, as described to you in the Department’s telegram no. 488, August 9, 2 p.m.,¹⁷ and previous telegrams, and especially the fact that the Ambassador had been informed that in the opinion of this Government the measures being taken by the Japanese Government had served to remove the basis for further conversations in regard to a peaceful settlement in the Pacific region. The President dwelt on the fact that those informal discussions naturally envisaged the working out of a progressive program by peaceful methods and that under such program Japan would, in the opinion of this Government, attain all the objectives which Japan affirmed it was seeking with much more certainty than under any other program.

The President then said that if the Japanese Government feels that Japan desired and was in position to suspend its expansionist activities and to embark upon a peaceful program along the lines of the policies to which this Government was committed, the Government of the United States would be prepared to consider resumption of the informal exploratory discussions and to endeavor to arrange a suitable time and place for an exchange of views. He suggested also that it would be helpful to both Governments before undertaking a resumption of such conversations if the Japanese Government would furnish a clearer indication than has yet been given as to its present attitude and plans, just as this Government has repeatedly outlined to the Japanese Government its attitude and plans. The Ambassador was given a written record of this statement.¹⁸

The Ambassador said that he would communicate to his Government what the President had said.

Hull

13. See memorandum by the Secretary of State, August 17, 1941, ibid., p. 554.
14. See memorandum by the Acting Secretary of State., July 24, 1941, ibid., p. 527.
15. Ibid., p. 556.
16. See memorandum of August 8, 1941, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 550.
17. No. 488 not printed, but see memoranda dated August 6–8, 1941, ibid., pp. 546–553.
18. Ibid., p. 557.