Office of the Historian

762.94/95: Telegram

The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State

Berlin, November 25, 1936—2 p.m.
[Received 2:30 p.m.]

349. My 343, November 20, 10 a.m. I have just returned from seeing the Foreign Minister at his request. He handed me the following document, copies of which I understand he gave to the British and French Ambassadors just prior to my visit. In reply to my question whether this agreement covered the entire arrangement with Japan, Neurath answered in the affirmative, remarking that there were no secret clauses, that this document told the whole story.

Translation13

“Agreement against the Communist Internationale. The Government of the German Reich and the Imperial Japanese Government, in the realization that the aim of the Communist Internationale, called the Comintern, is the disintegration and violation of the existing states with all means available,

In the conviction that the suffering of interference of the Communist Internationale in the domestic conditions of the nations not only endangers their internal peace and social well-being but also menaces the peace of the world in general,

Have agreed on the following in the wish to cooperate together in opposing Communist disintegration:

  • Article No. I. The high contracting states agree to inform each other mutually concerning the activity of the Communist Internationale to consult concerning the necessary measures of defence and to carry these out in close cooperation.
  • Article No. II. The high contracting states will jointly invite third states whose domestic peace is menaced by the disintegrating work of the Communist Internationale to adopt measures of defence in the spirit of this agreement or to participate in this agreement.
  • Article No. III. For this agreement both the German as well as the Japanese text are to be regarded as originals. It goes into effect on the day of signing and is valid for a period of five years. The high contracting states will agree in good time before the termination of this period concerning the further form of their cooperation.

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In documentation whereof the undersigned duly authorized by their respective Governments have signed this agreement and affixed their seals thereto. Done in duplicate.”

In addition a supplementary protocol has been given to the press as follows:

“On the occasion of today’s signing of the agreement against the Communist Internationale the undersigned plenipotentiaries agreed on the following:

(a)
The competent authorities of the two high contracting states will cooperate in a close manner with regard to the exchange of information concerning the activity of the Communist Internationale as well as concerning the measures of enlightenment and defense against the Communist Internationale.
(b)
The competent authorities of the two high contracting states will adopt strict measures within the scope of the existing laws against those who are directly or indirectly active at home or abroad in the service of the Communist Internationale or abet its work of disintegration.
(c)
In order to facilitate the cooperation of the competent authorities of the two high contracting states laid down in [(a) above,] a permanent commission will be established. In this commission the further measures of defense necessary to combat the work of disintegration of the Communist Internationale will be considered and discussed”.

Both agreement and protocol were signed by Ribbentrop and the Japanese Ambassador today.14

Dodd
  1. For “unofficial translation” transmitted to the Department by the Chargé in Japan in his despatch No. 2159, November 26, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 153.↩
  2. For text of secret additional agreement signed at Berlin on November 25, 1936, see Department of State, Documents on German Foreign Policy. 1918–1945, series D, vol. i, p. 734, footnote 2a.↩