740.00119 PW/8–1045
Memorandum by Mr. Benjamin V. Cohen, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State 43
The British Government has discussed peace message of the Japanese Government. It has sent cables to its embassies in Washington, Moscow and Chungking to make formal inquiry as to the views of its allies on the message.
Foreign Secretary Bevin came out of the Cabinet meeting to advise Winant that no other communication was contemplated by the Cabinet until they had heard from us. The Cabinet wished to be currently informed of our position as it was their desire to keep their policy in line with ours. While they desired to support our position, they were inclined to accept the continuation of the Emperor although they were troubled about the language of the reservation of the Emperor’s prerogations [prerogatives?]. They thought a more precise definition of the reservation was necessary in light of the Potsdam Declaration.
[Page 626]The Ambassador also indicated that we might find it helpful at some stage to use Ambassador Sato at Moscow.
- This memorandum is a summary of a trans-Atlantic conversation between Mr. Cohen and the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant).↩