740.0011 Pacific War/39
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Australian Minister came in today, at his request.
He said that his Government had been estimating the situation in the Far East.
It would seem that the Japanese had originally intended to move very fast; that the very solid attitude of the Government of the United States had led them at least to stop for the time being; that their policy was “hanging in the wind”.
The Australian Government still hoped that arrangements might be worked out for a visit of some reasonably strong naval force to Singapore; but if that could not be worked out, that a visit of courtesy to Australia might be now considered. It was their view that with a sufficiently strong demonstration the Japanese might be deterred from carrying things very much farther.
[Page 213]I said that all these measures had, I knew, been carefully considered at various times, and that I would pass on his suggestion.