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

740.00119 Control (Japan)/9–1945

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Vincent) to the Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs (Hickerson)

[Washington,] September 19, 1945.

In accordance with the SWNCC recommendation as approved by the President, yesterday I handed a copy, as attached, of the statement to be made public by General MacArthur² to a Secretary of the British Embassy and today I handed a copy to a Secretary of the Soviet Embassy and to a Secretary of the Chinese Embassy. I told them that the statement was being handed them for their information, that it would be released for publication by General MacArthur in a few days, and that in the meantime I would appreciate their treating it as confidential. The Chinese Embassy and Soviet Embassy Secretaries had no comment to make.^* The British Embassy Secretary inquired with regard to the origin of the statement. I told him that it had originated with the American Government.

J[ohn] C[arter] V[incent]

2. SWNCC 181/2, p. 712.
3. Subsequently, the Soviet Embassy Secretary made the same inquiry as the British Embassy Secretary had made and was given the same answer. [Footnote in the original.]