740.0011 European War 1939/10982: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 16—8:50 a.m.]
688. The French Ambassador who called on the Foreign Minister on May 14 gives me in strict confidence the following account of the statement made to him by Mr. Matsuoka with regard to relations between Japan and the United States:
Mr. Matsuoka said that he had known the President for some time and that he had just taken steps to appeal personally to the President to avoid the taking of provocative action against Germany. If war should occur between the United States and Germany, Japan would [Page 196] be obliged to consider the circumstances then existing in the light of her obligation under the alliance with Germany and Italy, that he feared that Japan would be obliged to take sides with Germany and that the ensuing war would be completely destructive of our civilization.