Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

711.92/37

The Chinese Embassy to the Department of State

The Chinese Ambassador⁹ has received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a telegram under date of January 27, 1942 to the following effect:

Since Thailand has declared war on the United States, the Chinese Government wishes to know the attitude of the United States Government in this connection and whether the United States proposes to declare war forthwith against Thailand.

The Chinese Government ventures the view that it may be advisable to defer a declaration of war against Thailand for the time being, so that the army and people of Thailand could be induced to understand that the United Nations are actually in sympathy with the Thai army and people in face of the involvement of their country into the war under duress by Japan. This is calculated to counteract the effect of propaganda on the part of the enemy, and, will, in the event of the Chinese army counter-attacking the enemy within Thai territory, probably tend to weaken resistance by the Thai army and people.¹⁰

Washington , January 28, 1942.

9. Hu Shin.
10. In response on February 7, the Department cited as its position the language of paragraph 3 of its aide-mémoire of the same date to the British Embassy, p. 916.