Office of the Historian

740.0011 Pacific War/7a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Batavia (Foote)

Washington, October 22, 1940—7 p.m.

It has been reported to the Department32 that the Japanese representatives at Batavia, in the negotiations with the Netherlands authorities, have demanded that Japanese troops be sent to the Indies to guard petroleum wells which are to be operated by Dutch and Japanese interests jointly.

Please telegraph any information you may be able discreetly to ascertain in regard to the facts.

Hull
  1. Report from Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs given in telegram No. 525, October 18, 11 a.m., from the Ambassador in China, not printed.↩