740.0011 PW (Peace)/6–1747
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs (Braden)89
confidential
[Washington,] June 17, 1947.
Procedure for Making Peace With Japan
- (A)
- Participation of Other American Republics Generally
- (B)
- Participation of Mexico in Particular
- (A)
- All the American republics, except Argentina, are at war with
Japan and have signed the Declaration by United Nations. Argentina
is at war with Japan but has not signed the Declaration. The United
States has an obligation to support participation by the Latin
American republics, except Argentina, in the making of the peace
with Japan. This obligation has the following basis:
- (1)
- While the participation of the other American republics in the war effort was generally limited to active political and economic cooperation, the United States did not encourage them to participate with military contingents and allowed them to believe that they would not suffer discrimination in the postwar settlements on that account.
- (2)
- The Declaration by United Nations contains a pledge that none of the signatories will make a separate peace.
- The United States policy in dealing with a like situation as it bears on the making of a peace for Germany, has been to express support for the principle that all states at war with Germany should be invited to participate in a peace conference to consider the draft of the peace settlement as soon as its preparation is sufficiently advanced. While this Government rightly expected that the Soviet Union would oppose such broad participation in the making of this treaty, it gave its support with a view to discharging its obligation and vindicating its good faith, while placing the blame for any failure to invite the states where it belongs.
- For like reasons, it would appear in order for this Government to support the principle that all the American republics which are at [Page 464] war with Japan and signatories to the Declaration by United Nations have a right to participate in the making of the Japanese peace.
- Cuba and Mexico have both asserted, in communications to this Government, their claim to such participation.
- (B)
- The position of Mexico differs from that of the other Latin American States in that she participated with military contingents in the war against Japan. Thus Mexico’s position with respect to Japan is like that of Brazil with respect to Germany and Italy, since Brazil was the only American republic to participate with military contingents in the war in Europe. Brazil, it will be recalled, was invited to participate in the peace conference on Italy.
- This Government has formally committed itself to support Mexico’s
claim to participation in making the Japanese peace. In instruction
no. 867 of February 27, 1947,90 the American Ambassador in Mexico City was
instructed to inform the Mexican Government “that this Government’s
position with respect to Mexican participation in the making of a
peace with Japan is identical in principle with its position with
respect to Mexican participation in the settlements for Germany and
Austria”. Our Ambassador in Mexico was instructed to state to the
Mexican Foreign Office that this Government’s position with respect
to the Mexican participation in the settlements for Germany and
Austria was as follows:
- (1)
- “The Government of the United States agrees that Mexico should be allowed to participate in the making of the treaties for Germany and Austria.”
- (2)
- “The United States will make its position in this respect known to the other powers represented on the Council of Foreign Ministers.”
- Consequently, as I see it, we have a general obligation to support the participation of all Latin American republics except Argentina, and we have a particular obligation to support the participation of Mexico in making the peace with Japan.
Spruille Braden