840.50/2–2245: Airgram

The Ambassador to the Netherlands Government in Exile ( Hornbeck ) to the Secretary of State

Netherlands Series A–7. In a note of February 20, 1945, the Netherlands Foreign Office refers to paragraph No. 5 of its note of January 1, 1945—see airgram Netherlands Series A–4 of January 6, 1945—and makes the following comment:

“Thus far, the Netherlands Government are without a reply from the Government of the United States of America informing them that this Government are in agreement with these principles as a common basis for the proposed discussion and planning, although the events on the battlefields of Europe clearly seem to indicate that the moment to begin the planning in this respect is approaching more rapidly than might have been thought previously.

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“For this reason, the Netherlands Government have the duty point out that the gravest consequences may result from unreadiness in this important matter, and therefore hope that they may receive at an early date the views of Your Government on the contents of their letter of January 1st, 1945.”

Hornbeck