740.00119 P.W./4–645: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:10 p.m.]
1288. The following is the substance of a telegram which, according to von Post, the Swedish Foreign Office has just received from the Swedish Minister at Tokyo:94
There is no doubt that unconditional surrender terms would be unacceptable to the Japanese because it would mean dishonor. Application of such terms would be fatal and lead to desperate action on the part of the people. The Japanese people believe that the war can not be won but also they believe that it would be impossible to conquer and occupy Japan. The Japanese soldier and likewise the Japanese civilian prefers to die than to give himself up as a prisoner. On the other hand it seems probable that very far-reaching conditions would be accepted by the Japanese by way of negotiation.
Exchange of the Japanese constitution must also be considered as excluded. The Emperor must not be touched. However, the Imperial power could be somewhat democratized as is that of the English King.
- Widor Bagge.↩