Office of the Historian

711.94114A/5–2145: Telegram

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

Washington, May 21, 1945.

1863. Am[erican] Interests—Far East. Request Swiss Gov have Gorgé protest strongly Jap Gov along following lines:

Jap Gov memo May 3, 1944, transmitted US Gov by Spanish Embassy Washington, states Jap Gov attaches great importance reporting names and exerting special efforts that direction.43 Liberation Am POWs Burma furnishes conclusive evidence Jap Gov failed report names large numbers Am nationals held Jap custody. Neglect on part Jap Gov exercise care circumstances justly demand caused great and unnecessary anxiety families men some of whom held by Japanese since 1942. Jap Gov voluntarily undertook apply provisions Geneva POWs Convention in treatment Am POWs. Article 77 that Convention provides reporting names within shortest possible period. US Gov demands Jap Gov investigate records and forward to US Gov through appropriate channels names all Am POWs not yet officially reported.

Grew

  1. In telegram 1922, May 29, to Bern, the Department stated that the beginning sentences of telegram 1863 should read: “Request Swiss Government to have Gorgé protest strongly to Japanese Government against failure on part of Japanese Government to report all names, places of internment, transfers, deaths of American POWs in Japanese custody. Protest may be along following lines:

    Jap Gov memo of May 3, 1944, transmitted to US Gov by Spanish Embassy Washington, states that Jap Gov attaches great importance to reporting the names of American prisoners of war and is exerting special efforts in that direction.” (711.94114A/5–2645) The memorandum of May 3 was transmitted to the Department by the Spanish Embassy in its Memorandum J–96, Ex. 119.01, May 11, 1944, not printed; but see Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. v, p. 942, footnote 32.

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