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

740.0011 P. W./116

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)

[Washington,] February 7, 1941.

In leaving with me the attached aide-mémoire of February 7⁸² marked “very confidential”, Mr. Butler, Counselor of the British Embassy, said that the Embassy had just received two telegrams from the British Foreign Office containing confidential information which the Embassy was instructed to communicate to the American Government. Mr. Butler said that the information was as follows:

The first telegram, dated February 6, was to the effect that according to reliable information the Japanese Embassy in London on February 4 received instructions to reduce to a minimum its contacts with the British and to be prepared to leave on short notice;⁸³ that these instructions were discussed at the Japanese Embassy in London; that some members of the Embassy were dismayed by the instructions while others were not; that it was believed at the Japanese Embassy that the instructions had reference to some scheme of cooperation with Germany advocated by the Japanese military party.

The second telegram, also dated February 6, was to the effect that the notification date referred to in the first telegram was either February 9 or February 18 (the telegram as received by the British Embassy was garbled and the Embassy had not yet worked out whether the correct date was February 9 or February 18); that there was some indefinite reference to the plan in question being linked up with the Soviet Government and Chinese Communists; that the proposed action was being carefully planned so as not to appear to affect United States interests; that the movement of the United States Fleet was regarded as of a routine character; and that there was a good deal of talk at the Japanese Embassy in London about war.

Mr. Butler added that it was possible that the British Ambassador might ask to talk to the Secretary of State and to the President in regard to the information set forth in the two telegrams under reference.

M[axwell] M. H[amilton]

82. Infra.
83. The Chargé in the United Kingdom in telegram No. 477, February 7, 10 p.m., reported similar information. In a conversation on February 6, Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, informed Harry Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt, and the American Chargé (Johnson) that the British were “apprehensive lest Japan may be planning some direct attack against Great Britain in the Far East”. Mr. Johnson noted that they were “hoping for some positive move by the United States which would act as a restraint on Japan.” (740.0011 European War 1939/8145 ²⁄₅)