Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

751G.92/199: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State

Vichy, January 22, 1941—8 p.m.
[Received January 24—8:27 a.m.]

92. My telegram 91, January 22, 6 p.m. Chauvel sent for Matthews⁴⁸ later this evening to give him the background on the Japanese mediation offer. Chauvel read two telegrams from Arsène-Henry at Tokyo dated January 19th and 20th in which the latter reported two interviews to which Matsuoka⁴⁹ had summoned him. With great solemnity the latter had informed him that following an earlier indication by the French Ambassador that a new offer of mediation would not in his opinion be favorably [viewed?] by the French Government the question had been presented to the Emperor and the renewed offer of mediation had received his full approval. Matsuoka explained to Arsène-Henry that the British were attempting to “interfere actively in Thailand affairs at the expense of Japan” and that this could not be tolerated.

He also spoke of an alleged meeting between a French commander and the British authorities at Singapore (with respect to which there is no information here and which Chauvel considers purely imaginary) looking toward some joint effort to weaken the Japanese position in Thailand. It was in the interest of peace in that area said Matsuoka therefore that the Japanese Government felt compelled to renew its offer of mediation; it was making a similar offer simultaneously to Thailand. He hoped the French would feel it possible to accept. He stated that such an offer was within the framework of the Franco-Japanese political accord of last August⁵⁰ and that French acceptance of any British offer of mediation would be entirely contrary to that accord. Acceptance of the Japanese offer should provide for the immediate cessation of hostilities.

Chauvel likewise showed a note handed [by him?] at 6 p.m. today to the Japanese Chargé d’Affaires agreeing to the principle of mediation. The note denies any knowledge of a British offer of mediation in Bangkok and expresses the view that direct negotiations between Thailand and the French authorities would have led to a peaceful settlement. It goes on to state however that “in order to avoid any misunderstanding” with Japan the offer is accepted. It expresses the hope that hostilities will cease immediately if the offer is also agreed to by Thailand and specifies that in accepting the principle of mediation the French are in no way admitting any Thai claim to the enclaves along the Mekong.

Chauvel said that in the telegraphic instructions to be sent to Arsène-Henry he was told to emphasize to Matsuoka that French acceptance was due to the personal intervention of the Emperor (recalling the latter’s similar intervention to obtain withdrawal of Japanese troops from Langson last autumn) and to express confidence that the mediation would “result in no territorial modifications less advantageous to Indochina than would have resulted had France continued to deal directly with the Thai authorities”.

Chauvel went on to say that recent reports make it clear that the Japanese are convinced that at least the British have been up to something at Singapore and Bangkok and that there is real anxiety on this score at Tokyo. The Japanese are likewise motivated, he said, by a desire to see things relatively quiet in that area—“unless they are stirred up by themselves”—for there are recent indications that they are somewhat anxious over conditions in the north and the attitude of Russia. (He gave no specific basis for this belief.)

Chauvel also emphasized that recent reports from the Governor General at Hanoi indicate that in spite of their success to date the French are about at the end of their military resources in the current fighting. He still believes that if anything is “stirred up” by the British or ourselves in that area it may result in Japanese occupation of Cochin-China with a consequent threat against Singapore and he hopes therefore that “unless and until the British and ourselves are prepared to make a real show of force in Asia nothing will be done to upset the existing delicate situation.”

Leahy

48. H. Freeman Matthews, First Secretary of Embassy in France.
49. Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs.
50. August 30, 1940; see telegram of August 31, 1940, 11 a.m., from the Consul at Hanoi, Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. iv, p. 92, and subsequent reports.