762.94/97: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 25—3:42 p.m.]
570. Your 416, November 23, 3 p.m.66 When complying with your 418, November 24, noon,66 the Embassy had an opportunity to get Craigie67 to expand further his remarks contained in the third from the last paragraph of my 546, November 19, 9 p.m.,66 and it was possible to refer in the course of the conversation to the excerpt from the Morning Post editorial quoted in my 544, November 19, 7 p.m.66 Craigie said the word “proposals” did not accurately describe Yoshida’s talks with the Foreign Office which were more in the nature of “soundings”. Yoshida has come to London with high hopes of arriving at a satisfactory settlement of Anglo-Japanese differences and as recently as a few days ago had again talked with the Foreign Secretary on this subject. Craigie said that personally he did not think that Yoshida’s hopes would be realized and that in any event should the talks give promise of fruition he felt sure that the Foreign Secretary would deem it as important as he did that the American Government be informed.
Craigie expressed the view that since the murder in Tokyo the civilians had gained back a little ground from the military but he greatly doubted whether the same element in Japan would be strong enough to conclude any worthwhile agreement with Great Britain. Craigie said that this was the general view held in the Foreign Office.
However, in this general connection reference is made to my 569 of November 25, 6 p.m.66