740.0011 P.W./131a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)

122. It is suggested that you may wish in your discretion, in conversations with influential Japanese, to state that reports of the presence of large numbers of Germans in Japan and continually arriving there, together with the nature of the increasing collaboration between Japan and Germany, have led to a widely expressed view in the United States that Japan appears to have surrendered to Germany, to a considerable degree, her freedom of action. In this connection it is being pointed out that German pressures exerted upon Italy have obviously contributed to bringing about Italian action that has patently not been in Italy’s best interests. The query is raised as to why, in the light of this recent and tragic example of Germany’s disposition to use her associates for her own ends and without regard to their interests, the Japanese are not more wary of the many kinds of advice which they are apparently receiving from German sources.

Hull