740.0011 European War, 1939/593: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Dooman)
299. The Embassy at Moscow reporting on September 2885 states that: [Page 74]
“As of interest in connection with the visit of Ribbentrop to Moscow …,86 I am reliably informed that the Japanese Ambassador had a lengthy conference with Molotov on the night of September 26.”
Although the same Embassy, reporting on September 27, noted that it was of some significance that the first public report of the visit to Moscow of Ribbentrop was received from Japanese sources, which suggested the possibility that there might be discussed arrangements relating to the Far East, on September 29 Ambassador Steinhardt reported87 that he was informed in the strictest confidence that the Far East was not discussed during the Stalin-Ribbentrop conversations. The Ambassador’s informant stated that the Soviet-German agreement had been reached with a minimum of difficulty and that prior to the opening of the discussions Stalin had laid emphasis on the importance of the establishment of a firm foundation for close enduring relations between Germany and the Soviet Union and had intimated a common enmity toward Great Britain.
Embassy at Paris reporting on September 3088 states that the Embassy was informed by an official of the Foreign Office that he knew that the Japanese were carrying on serious discussions with the Soviet Union and Germany.
The Department has no other information which throws light on the subject except press reports of General Terauchi’s89 visit to Germany.
Have you any new light on the subject?
- Telegram No. 636, September 28, 2 p.m., not printed.↩
- Omission indicated in the original.↩
- Telegram No. 655, September 29, 8 p.m., printed in vol. i, section entitled “The Boundary and Friendship Treaty Between Germany and the Soviet Union Signed in Moscow, September 28, 1939 …”↩
- Telegram No. 2263, September 30, 7 p.m., p. 272.↩
- Gen. Count Juichi Terauchi, Japanese Supreme Military Councilor.↩