740.00117 Pacific War/65
The Acting Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: The State Department letter of 6 July 1943, enclosing a memorandum from the Spanish Embassy regarding alleged attacks on six hospital ships, was answered by Navy Department letter of 18 September 1943, in which the necessary information was provided on which to make a reply to the Japanese Government.
The American Red Cross has forwarded to the Navy Department a cable received from Geneva on 31 July 1943, enclosed herewith as Enclosure “A”, containing a Japanese protest against the same six alleged attacks plus three additional attacks.62 This cable was referred to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who have caused the additional charges to be fully investigated. It appears that two of these additional attacks did occur. Neither attack was deliberate. One was the result of insufficient identification marks and the other probably from being in too close proximity to legitimate targets. For the information of the State Department, detailed data concerning the three additional alleged attacks are enclosed herewith as Enclosure “B”.63
Since the State Department is preparing an answer to the Japanese Government concerning six of the nine cases mentioned in the Red Cross cable, it is believed that the best interests would be served and all replies best kept in consonance if the State Department would prepare the reply to the Red Cross cable.
The assurance that all United States operating forces are fully informed of the requirements of the Hague Convention and make every effort to abide by them is reaffirmed.
In accordance with the agreement of the Combined Chiefs of Staff to keep each government fully advised of individual action taken in regard to protests, a copy of this letter is being furnished to the British and United States Chiefs of Staff.
Sincerely yours,
- Cable not printed; the American Red Cross had transmitted a copy of this cable to the Department of State on August 3. The official protest of the Japanese Government on the three additional attacks and one subsequent attack was conveyed to the Department by the Spanish Embassy in its memorandum of December 13, p. 1043.↩
- Not printed.↩