740.0011 Pacific War/1104

The Chief of Naval Operations (Stark) to the Secretary of State

Op–10 Hu

You may recall asking me in effect:—

“What we should do in case the Japs close entrance into the Sea of Japan, thereby shutting off Vladivostok to United States shipping?”

My feeling is that we should not acquiesce in this action unless Japan and Russia are legally at war.

Should Japan make a declaration closing entrance to the Sea of Japan I believe we should tell her we refuse to recognize such action, that we should continue to ship goods under the United States flag, [Page 443] and that we should provide naval escort for our flag vessels. Unless she and Russia are legally at war, she has no right whatever to tell us our ships cannot go through the Sea of Japan to Russian ports. I do not know how it could be worked, but if Japan could realize this now perhaps she would not issue any such proclamation.

If, however, the United States were to decide to acquiesce in such a Japanese declaration, our shipping would need to be diverted to other ports.

Alternate routes for sea-going vessels are:

(a)
Via Nikolaevsk
(b)
Via Archangel
(c)
Via Petropavlovsk
(d)
Via Persian Gulf

[Here follows a brief analysis of each of the suggested alternate routes.]

Sec[retary] Knox has read this.

H[arold] E. S[tark]