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

740.00119 P.W./7–1845

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Strategic Services (Donovan) to the Secretary of State

Washington, 18 July, 1945.

The following information, transmitted by Mr. Allen Dulles, Chief of the OSS mission in Wiesbaden, on 18 July, is a sequel to previous memoranda dated 13 and 16 July concerning a Japanese attempt to approach Allied authorities through OSS representatives:

Mr. Dulles has been informed by OSS representatives in Switzerland that Yoshimura and Kojiro Kitamura, Japanese officials in the Bank for International Settlements, were scheduled to confer at once with Brigadier General Kiyotomi Okamoto at Zurich, and immediately thereafter to cable Tokyo. [Okamoto is a former Japanese military attaché in Bern, now believed to be chief of Japanese Intelligence in Europe.]²⁰

(Mr. Dulles believes that for the next few days important developments in this matter are not likely, but that a line is being opened which the Japanese may use when the situation in Tokyo permits Japan to accept unconditional surrender.)

William J. Donovan

20. Brackets appear in the original.