762.94/492: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
200. Department has received following information from the Embassy in Germany with regard to Matsuoka’s visit to Berlin:
The German Government hopes that, as result of visit of Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan will be completely bound to the Axis. An impressive display is to be made in order to convince the Minister of the irresistible force of Germany’s military machine and of the absolute assurance of victory over Britain. Germany may also have new military or political successes in Greece or Yugoslavia to show him. Not very long ago a prominent German stated privately that although the Government was highly desirous of obtaining Japan’s adherence to Axis, it feared lest advantage might be taken of the alliance by the Japanese to attempt movement of some extreme sort against Britain in the Pacific and get the United States into the war. The same man said that the Axis wants Japan to play the part of a threat which would prevent the United States from giving aid to the British, including all-out naval assistance, but which would stop short of any action that would bring the United States into the war.
If foregoing information is correct, the appearances are that German efforts will be directed toward convincing Japanese Minister that Britain will soon be decisively defeated or disabled and that then Germany will give effective support, either in political or military way, if necessary, to Japan’s claims. Matsuoka will certainly discuss Soviet Union’s attitude toward Japan. Our Chargé in Germany has not directly heard any speculation in Berlin, however, as to whether German Government is ready to bring pressure to bear on the Soviets to bring the Russians to abandon or modify their anti-Japanese policies, nor has he personally heard it speculated that Germany will be asked to bring the said pressure. The Foreign Office had hoped that arrival of the Japanese Minister in Berlin would take place before passage of our Lend-Lease Bill,11 and that a declaration might be made likely to affect the measures taken under that act. It seems highly probable that the Germans are apprehensive that new measures may be taken in the United States or continued statements may be made either in the United States or in Britain before Matsuoka arrives that may deter him and Japanese Government from allying Japan more closely with Axis. The Foreign Minister’s absence from Japan is taken generally to be silent [Page 183] assurance that Japanese Government will not undertake any provocative action while he is away. His visit to Rome besides being one of courtesy is also to enable him to gain personal impression of Italian people’s morale and of Italy’s military strength. Observers in Germany have also in mind the possibility that in view of the resolute attitude of the United States toward aggression by totalitarian powers the Japanese Foreign Minister may be designing to evolve a formula for extricating Japan from the folly of its adherence to the Tripartite Pact.
- H. R. 1776, approved March 11, 1941; 55 Stat. 31.↩