740.00119 PW/9–2644
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of
State
[Washington,] September 26,
1944.
The British Ambassador65 called at his request and left with me the
attached copies of paraphrases of telegrams from the Foreign Office
relating to a Japanese peace feeler. I thanked him and said the
letter would receive appropriate attention.
[Annex 1]
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of
State
Paraphrase of a Telegram From the Foreign
Office, Dated September 24th,
1944
Please convey to Mr. Hull the contents of Stockholm telegram of
September 24th66 and inform him
that we propose to answer the Swedish Minister for Foreign
Affairs66a that we are not in fact prepared to return
any reply to the indirect approach from the Japanese. It will
therefore be open to the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs to
reply, if he so wishes, in the sense of the last sentence in
paragraph 4 of the telegram under reference.
[Page 1184]
- 2.
- Provided that the United States Government concur, I
propose to inform the Soviet Government in accordance with
the resolution adopted at the Moscow Conference October
194367
on the action to be taken in the event of peace feelers
being received from enemy countries.
- 3.
- Please inform me as soon as possible of the United States
reply.
[Annex 2]
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of
State
Paraphrase of a Telegram Received by the
Foreign Office From Stockholm, Dated 24th September, 1944
The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs sent for me this
afternoon to communicate text of a telegram just received from
the Swedish Minister at Tokyo67a whom he described as a man of calm and
good judgment.
- 2.
- The substance of the telegram was as follows:
Begins:
I learn from a very reliable source that in important
civilian circles in Japan the peace problem is being
discussed with increasing anxiety. A speedy German
collapse is expected and it is not believed that
Japan can then continue the war. It is therefore
considered necessary to get peace as soon as
possible before the country and towns are
destroyed.
In order to obtain peace, Japan is prepared to
surrender territories which during the war have been
taken from Great Britain and to recognize all former
British investments and interests in East Asia. It
is also realized that all other territories occupied
during the war must be restored to their former
owners; it is even recognized that sacrifice of
Manchukuo may also be necessary.
It is desired that London should be sounded on this
question and it is believed that perhaps this could
best be done through Swedish channels under a
guarantee that no publicity whatever should be
given. If any willingness appeared to exist in
London the Japanese would be ready for preliminary
discussions through Swedish channels.
Behind the man who gave me this message there stands
one of the best known statesmen in Japan and there
is no doubt that this attempt must be considered as
a serious one.
Ends.
- 3.
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs said he thought at first
sight that it looked rather like an attempt by the Japanese
to get at Great Britain behind the back of the United
States. Of course he realised that you would wish to pass on
this information to the United States
[Page 1185]
Government but he hoped you
would impress upon them the importance of avoiding publicity
and that even if any leakage occurred the name of Sweden
should not appear.
- 4.
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs quite realised that our
terms were unconditional surrender. He told me that he would
be grateful for your guidance as to how you would like him
to answer the Swedish Minister at Tokyo. If you wished he
could quite well reply that the Swedish Government
considered it useless to deliver such a message to His
Majesty’s Government.
- 5.
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs added that his
information from Tokyo all went to show that there was great
anxiety and unrest in Japanese political circles and that
the war was not popular in the country itself.
