740.0011 European War 1939/9176a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Sir: There is enclosed for your strictly confidential information a copy of a paraphrase of a message from the Naval Attaché at Tokyo dated March 1, 1941,40 which the Department assumes has already [Page 80] been brought to your attention, from which it will be noted that officers of the Japanese Navy are reported to have expressed in conversation the opinion that in the anticipated German spring offensive British defeat is a foregone conclusion; that British sea power will probably be diminished to such an extent that control of the Atlantic will be lost to the British; and that as a result thereof a part of the American fleet will be withdrawn from the Pacific Ocean, enabling the Japanese to carry out their plans for expansion in southeast Asia without substantial opposition.
It is assumed that, should statements along the lines of the foregoing be made in the course of conversation to members of the Embassy staff, the staff members will in their discretion point out in reply that the American Government is determined, as indicated by the President in his address of October 12, 194041 at Dayton, Ohio, that no combination of dictator countries will stop the help we are giving to Britain and to other countries engaged in resisting aggression; that we are confident that the help which we are giving and expect to continue to give to Britain will enable that nation to defeat Hitler and the forces which he represents; moreover, that a fundamental precept of American foreign policy has been the right to peaceful use of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; that our intention to maintain this policy was only recently reaffirmed by the President himself; that in the United States public opinion does not lean in regard to the Far East toward pursuit of any policy of appeasement or abandonment; and that this Government believes that no nation can with warrant proceed on an assumption that a situation will arise in which the United States will be unable to give adequate attention to the appropriate protection of its interests in the Far East.
Very truly yours,