File No. 861.00/1674a

The Secretary of State to the President

[Extract]

My Dear Mr. President: I had an interview yesterday (Sunday) afternoon with Viscount Ishii.1 We spent an hour discussing various questions relating to the Far East, particularly the Siberian situation. It is most gratifying to find that the Japanese Government agree fully with our point of view and that they do not sec at present the military compensation for the danger of uniting the Russian factions to resist intervention and of throwing them into the arms of Germany.

Viscount Ishii said that the menace to Japan was a Germanized Russia and that intervention might increase rather than decrease it. I said to him that he had previously told me of the attempts Germany had made to enter into an agreement with Japan and that I had no doubt a fourth attempt would be made on the basis of a division of Siberia between them. He replied, “We can not trust them. They seize the profits of an agreement and then they break it at once. We never will trust them. Germany would take western Siberia and then drive us out of eastern Siberia even if we desired it, which we do not. Our national life would be next.” He went on to say that the danger had not yet taken definite form; that he felt the Bolsheviks were still distrustful of Germany and would oppose German agents unless we did something to make them hostile to us; that many rumors had been received but no actual proofs to show the Germans were influencing the actions of the Soviets in Siberia; and that he felt that the wiser course was to wait until we knew the truth and could base action on something more substantial than the reports which we had thus far received.

I then said to him that, assuming the necessity or advisability of intervention, I would like to know what his views were as to Japan’s attitude toward participation by the United States or of the Allies in the expedition. He replied that he could speak without hesitation so far as he was personally concerned and that was that it would be most welcome; that he believed his Government would hold the same opinion; and that it was evident that the presence at least of troops of the United States, Japan, and China would go far to remove the suspicion of the Russians as to the purpose of territorial conquest which might be inferred if Japan acted alone. I suggested to him to obtain authority from his Government to say this. He said that he would.

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After speaking of the five several routes of advance against China from the west and the possible line of defense which would have to be taken, he answered to an inquiry of mine that including reserves Japan could put in the field 400,000 men and that fully 250,000 could be sent at once into Siberia if it was necessary. He also said that he did not think that it would be practical to go much further west than Irkutsk because of the difficulties of keeping open the line of communication. He said that he thought the southern routes to China from the west could be guarded by Chinese troops and he believed eight divisions would be sufficient to do this.

I told him that not being a military man I felt incompetent to judge of the possibilities but that it seemed to me that the chief purpose of intervention at this time would be to threaten German domination over western Russia to such an extent that no German troops could be withdrawn to take part in the battles in Flanders; that it was as essential to Japan as it was to the United States that Germany should not be victorious in France for if she was she could turn a large part of her force eastward and become mistress of Siberia; and that a German Siberia would be a grave peril to Japan, as he must know.

With these statements Ishii agreed and said that he was prepared to advise his Government to act in conjunction with the United States in defeating Germany’s purposes by any means which seemed practicable.

My interview with the Ambassador was in every way satisfactory. He is most frank and evidently desirous to do only what is entirely acceptable to this Government; and he assured me that is the wish and purpose of his Government. …

Faithfully yours,

Robert Lansing
  1. Japanese Ambassador designate; his credentials were presented Apr. 30.