Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The British Commonwealth, The Far East, Volume VI

711.94114A/3–1645: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)

Washington, March 16, 1945.

1094. Legation’s 8204, December 18, 1944, and 8235, December 20, 1944.³⁰ Request Gorgé to inform Japanese Government that the United States Government has given consideration to the Japanese Government’s proposal to permit visits by representatives of the International Red Cross Committee to certain specially designated prisoner of war and civilian camps in Japanese-occupied territory. It is noted that the Japanese Government proposes that the United States Government make arrangements to authorize visits to prisoner of war and interment camps where Japanese nationals are held on Saipan, Tinian, Guam and New Caledonia. The Japanese Government offers, on the basis of reciprocity, to authorize visits by representatives of the International Red Cross Committee to the prisoner of war camps at Singapore, the prisoner of war hospital in Thailand and to the Santo Tomas civilian camp at Manila, subject to the exigencies of military operations.

The United States Government notes with gratification the evidence of the Japanese Government’s willingness to take this first step to permit visits by representatives of the International Red Cross Committee to camps never visited before by representatives of the protecting Power or the International Red Cross Committee. It points out, however, that in view of the fact that the American nationals at the Santo Tomas camp have now been freed by American forces it is obvious that the offer to authorize visits by representatives of the International Red Cross Committee to the Santo Tomas camp has no value at this time, thus limiting materially the reciprocity offered by the Japanese Government.

The United States Government requests clarification of the Japanese Government’s proposal. Does the Japanese Government’s offer permit visits by International Red Cross Committee representatives to the civilian camp at Singapore where American nationals are held? Are representatives of the International Red Cross Committee authorized to visit the prisoner of war camp in Thailand where American nationals are held by the Japanese authorities?

The United States Government also desires assurance that representatives of the protecting Power and the International Red Cross Committee are authorized regularly to visit and to report on all camps in Japan proper, Formosa, China, and Manchuria where American nationals are held.

Upon receipt of satisfactory clarification of the points raised by it the United States Government is prepared to arrange for accredited representatives of the protecting Power and the International Red Cross Committee regularly to inspect the camps where Japanese nationals are held in Saipan and to report on the conditions under which they are held. Although not previously proposed to the Japanese Government, the United States Government is prepared to make arrangements for visits by representatives of the protecting Power and the International Red Cross Committee to Guam and Tinian. It will also endeavor to obtain permission from the appropriate authorities for visits to camps in New Caledonia where Japanese nationals are held in American custody.³¹

Stettinius

30. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. v, pp. 1012 and 1013, respectively.
31. On May 4 the Delegation to the United States of the International Committee of the Red Cross requested the Department to agree to visits by its personnel to “Pacific islands where Japanese nationals are detained by the American authorities, especially the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Guam and New Caledonia”. The Department’s reply of May 11 stated: “The Japanese Government has thus far failed to clarify the points raised by this Government … Accordingly, this Government is not at this time in a position to authorize a visit by an International Red Cross representative” to these islands (740.00115 PW/5–445).