394.1115/41: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Extract]
Tokyo, August 13,
1941—4 p.m.
[Received August 13—9:45 a.m.]
[Received August 13—9:45 a.m.]
1228. Embassy’s 1225, August 12, 9 p.m.35
- 1.
- In order to avoid any possible misunderstanding by the Foreign Office of our Government’s views the Counselor at my direction called this morning on the Director of the American Bureau and read to him the substance of the Department’s 492, August 11, 6 p.m.
- 2.
- Mr. Terasaki thereupon said that the spirit and intent of his suggestion that the Coolidge be brought into a Japanese port had been entirely misunderstood. He regretted that the assurances which we requested and as formulated by us could not be granted. In his opinion [Page 425] the reply which he had given us on August 11 (Embassy’s 1216, August 11, 11 p.m.) except for the limitation to American personnel of persons to embark here was in effect an affirmative reply to our request for assurance [with] respect to the ship, cargo and passengers. He could not entertain the formula with regard to the assurances suggested by us for the reason that strong resentment is felt here over the severe treatment accorded the Tatuta which he said was actually under seizure for a brief period, and her embarking passengers; and he felt that if the assurances as requested were given, a demand might arise in Japan for retaliatory action here against the Coolidge and her passengers. He felt very strongly that this was to be avoided at all cost.
- 3.
- He then said that the discussions had taken a turn entirely contrary to the hopes which he had entertained when he put forward his suggestion with regard to the Coolidge, which was made in the belief that if carried out it would tend to relax the political tension. He said that he would withdraw his suggestion and that he hoped that the “situation might be regarded as having reverted to that which prevailed” before the making of his suggestion.36
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grew