740.0011 European War 1939/12545: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 27—9:40 a.m.]
1232.…
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Tatekawa further told me that the Japanese Government is now in continuous session and that it will probably reach a decision within the next 48 hours on the subject of a declaration of war against the Soviet Union or neutrality. He expressed the opinion that it will decide to remain neutral and that it anticipated the collapse of the Soviet Government following the defeat of the Soviet armies by Germany whereupon it would exploit the situation in the Far East. He expressed the firm conviction that the Japanese people are opposed to embarking upon war with the Soviet Union and said that the Japanese Government would be guided accordingly. He added that his Government had already decided that Germany had been the aggressor and that consequently Japan was under no obligation as an ally of Germany to take part in the war.
At the close of our talk the Ambassador expressed the opinion that should the German Army reach Minsk and there be indication that the Soviet Government intended to leave Moscow the chiefs of missions should call on Molotov and inquire of him what provision the [Page 986] Soviet Government was making to take the Diplomatic Corps with it to the new seat of Government.
Speaking as a military man Tatekawa expressed the view that the Soviet Union would not necessarily be vanquished by the fall of Minsk or even the fall of Moscow provided it did not permit its major armies to be trapped through failure to withdraw them in ample time. He said that the break through at Vilna had come so soon he doubted it was now possible for the Soviet general staff to save the armies in the north unless they could make a stand in the neighborhood of Minsk for sufficient time to permit their orderly withdrawal.