756.94/138
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Australian Minister came to see me, at my house, yesterday (Sunday, May 12th) about 2:30.
He stated that Lord Lothian had informed him of Lord Lothian’s conversation with the President; that the President had said that he had information indicating a possible Japanese move against the Dutch East Indies within a day or two.
Mr. Casey said that the Australian war Cabinet was meeting on Monday and he wished to get off a telegram to them which might be of use in deciding one question. This was whether the Australian ships and troops should be moved to Darwin, in the north of Australia, where they might be of assistance in the Dutch East Indies.
I said that I had likewise heard the report to which the President referred, but that I wished to consider the matter further before discussing it. I pointed out that the line generally taken by the Dutch was that they needed no assistance and wished to have none; and that there would be an obvious danger that any military movements in the direction of the Dutch East Indies would be seized upon as an excuse by the Japanese. The landings in the Netherlands West Indies [Page 16] I understood to have been entirely by arrangement with the Dutch government.33
Subsequently I discussed the matter with the Secretary, on the croquet ground at Woodley. It was his view that the information was not sufficient to justify us in giving the Australians any particular advice; further, that the Australian forces were not sufficient to have any real effect in defending the Dutch East Indies.
I accordingly telephoned Mr. Casey last evening (May 12th) that as we saw the situation there was nothing which justified us in giving advice on the question of shifting of troops to Darwin, one way or the other.