751G.94/253
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to telegram No. 501, October 4, noon [1 p.m.], from the Embassy at Chungking to the Department,35 conveying information regarding a report that Japan’s primary intention in invading Indochina was to secure a base for an attack on Malaya, and that this move was part of a German-inspired plan involving attacks within the immediate future on Singapore, Gibraltar, and the Suez Canal. In this relation there are transmitted herewith copies of paraphrases of telegrams furnished to me by my British colleague as follows:36 a telegram from the British Embassy at Chungking to London dated October 5, and one sent from the British Embassy in Tokyo to London dated October 10, reporting the same information;* and also a further telegram from Tokyo to London dated October 14 expressing Sir Robert Craigie’s opinion that the Japanese will not take action against Singapore at once, and urging that immediately after the forthcoming election in the United States steps be taken to make clear to the Japanese any American intention to assist Great Britain.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩
- None printed.↩
- A telegram dated October 9 sent to London by the British Embassy in Washington quoting a message received by T. V. Soong from Chiang Kai-shek conveying the same information regarding Japanese intentions is not transmitted herewith, inasmuch as it contains indication that it has already been shown to the Department. [Footnote in the original; for Dr. Soong’s mission to Washington, see pp. 663–715, passim.]↩