Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The British Commonwealth, Eastern Europe, the Far East, Volume III

740.00116 Pacific War/59

The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Knox)

Washington, July 6, 1943.

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Honorable the Secretary of the Navy and encloses a copy of memorandum no. 148 dated June 28, 1943 from the Spanish Embassy⁵⁷ in charge of Japanese interests in continental United States, regarding alleged attacks on six Japanese hospital ships.

Since the Japanese Government does not specify that only United States forces were involved in these alleged attacks and since it is believed that a similar protest has been addressed by the Japanese Government to the British Government, it is suggested that this matter might be brought before the Combined Chiefs of Staff in order that a mutually satisfactory answer may be made to the protest of the Japanese Government.

This Department has acknowledged the receipt of the enclosed memorandum from the Spanish Embassy.⁵⁸ It would be appreciated if the Navy Department, after the necessary investigation and consultation, would inform this Department of the nature of the detailed reply which may be made to this memorandum.

A copy of this letter and of the enclosed memorandum have been sent to the Secretary of War.

57. Supra.
58. The Department’s memorandum of July 6 to the Spanish Embassy stated that the Embassy’s memorandum was “receiving appropriate consideration and a reply will be made when the necessary investigation is completed.”