740.0011 P. W./412: Telegram
The Minister in Thailand (Grant) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 9—3:54 p.m.]
405. I had an hour’s conversation today with the Prime Minister, Luang Pibul, regarding the situation. The Prime Minister requested me to convey to the Secretary his deep appreciation of the statement made [by] the Secretary of State regarding the Thai-Japanese situation. He indicated he would welcome more positive action by the [Page 267] United States, such as more economic pressure against Japan which he said was very helpful to Thailand at this time, and in this connection he expressed warm approval of the act of freezing Japanese funds, stating that Japan’s attitude towards Thailand had been more moderate since that step was taken. He said no demands for military bases in Thailand had been made by Japan up to the present time.
The Prime Minister agreed with me in the theory which I had previously expressed to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs who participated in the conference to the effect that Japan does not contemplate making another military move in this area at the present time and is indulging in considerable bluffing. He said that the Japanese do not want war with the United States and Great Britain and that any military move is predicated on the European situation and particularly on the progress of the Russian-German war. Therefore the situation in this area is more favorable. Nevertheless, he has ordered more troops to the frontier sections and he may mobilize the entire Thai Army whose potential strength, he added, is 100,000.
The Prime Minister said he would oppose with force any military aggression against Thailand although he added Japan is a great power and Thailand could not make successful opposition without outside assistance. He said in response to an inquiry that he had decided not to press any claims for Laos and the remainder of Cambodia and that he would ratify the pact of nonaggression with France. He indicated he had finally reached the conclusion he could not trust the Japanese.
I seized the occasion to emphasize what I had said previously to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, namely, that it would be advantageous for Thailand to stand firm and discreetly resist any Japanese demands. I said this policy would be encouraging to Washington and London. I said it was my personal opinion that the recognition of Manchukuo by Thailand was a mistake and that it could not have been favorably received in Washington and London and that in my judgment the recognition of Nanking would be a greater mistake. The Prime Minister replied weakly that he would try to resist the Nanking proposal.
Upon conclusion of the conversation which was most cordial the Prime Minister presented to me an aide-mémoire53 the substance of which will be outlined briefly in a subsequent telegram.54