March 1941

1 March 1941 Bulgaria adhered to Axis pact. ("Upon invitation of the German government." . . Times, Mar. 2, 1941, p. 38. Cf. Feb. 14,supra.)
4 March 1941 The United States froze Bulgarian assets. (Cf. Mar. 1,supra. Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 89, p. 251.)
6 March 1941 Britain severed diplomatic relations with Bulgaria.   (Times,, Mar. 6, 1941, p. 2.)
6 March 1941 The United States asked closing of Italian consulates at Newark, N. J., and Detroit, Mich., and information as to movements of military, and naval personnel. (Cf. Feb. 12,supra.Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 89, p. 249.)
8 March 1941 Japanese Ambassador, Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura disparaged the view that Japan was intent on military conquest unless compelled by the policy of increasing embargoes of the United States. (Peace, pp. 623, 626.) See doc.
8 March 1941 MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE REGARDING A CONVERSATION WITH THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR (NOMURA) " The Japanese Ambassador called at my apartment at the Carlton Hotel by an indirect arrangement based on the equal and joint initiative of himself and myself growing out of his talk with the President in my presence some days ago." See doc.
10 March 1941 Britain rejected plan to feed the small democracies. ("Nothing has since occurred to alter the view of His Majesty's Government that it is the responsibility of the German Government to see to the material welfare of the countries they have overrun, nor to weaken their conviction that no form of relief can be devised which would not directly or indirectly assist the enemy's war effort."Times, Mar. 10, 1941, p. 6.)
11 March 1941 Lend-Lease Act approved by President Roosevelt to extend lend-lease aid to countries whose defense is vital to that of the United States. (55 Stat., Pt. I, p. 31.)
11 March 1941 "LEND-LEASE ACT" " An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States" See doc.
11 March 1941 Thailand and Indochina signed peace treaty. (Because of Japanese mediation.Times, Mar. 12, 1941, p. 10.)
11 March 1941 EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR, CHARLES ARSÈNE-HENRY AND YOSUKE MATSUOKA, JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER Tokyo. " The Japanese Government, from the standpoint of the maintenance of peace in Greater East Asia and recalling the peaceful and friendly spirit which prompted the conclusion of the aforementioned agreement between Japan and France, have offered their mediation to the Governments of France and Thailand with a view to bringing to an end the dispute between French Indo-China and Thailand." See doc.
11 March 1941 MEDIATION TERMS OF THE THAI-FRENCH INDO-CHINA BORDER DISPUTE " All of the above-mentioned ceded territories are to be made demilitarized zones, and French nationals and the people of French Indo-China are to enjoy an absolutely equal treatment with nationals of Thailand through these areas with respect to entry, domicile and occupations and their pursuit." See doc.
12 March 1941 Thailand and Russia exchanged notes establishing diplomatic relations. (Forerunner to commercial relations. Times, Mar. 13, 1941, p. 6.)
13 March 1941 The United States froze Hungarian assets. (Times, Mar. 14, 1941, p. 6.)
13 March 1941 Germany, demanded Yugoslavia join the Axis. (Wanted access to Greece.Times, Mar. 14, 1941, p. 1. Cf. Feb. 14,supra.)
15 March 1941 President Roosevelt promised increasing aid to Allies for a total victory. ("The light of democracy must be kept burning. To the perpetuation of this light, each must do his own share. The single effort of one individual may seem very small. But there are 130 million individuals over here. There are many more millions in Britain and elsewhere bravely shielding the great flame of democracy from the blackout of barbarism. It is not enough for us merely to trim the wick or polish the glass. The time has come when we must provide the fuel in ever increasing amounts to keep the flame alight."Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 90, p. 279. Cf.Peace, pp. 634 f. Cf. Jan. 6, 15, 16, 17, 25, 31,supra.)
15 March 1941 ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AT WASHINGTON "The aid-to-democracies bill was agreed to by both Houses of the Congress last Tuesday afternoon." See doc.
16 March 1941 CHANCELLOR HITLER'S MEMORIAL ADDRESS Berlin, Germany. " The world is not here for a few people, and an order based eternally on the distinction between the haves and the have-nots does not exist any more because the have-nots have determined to lay claims to their portion of God's earth." See doc.
19 March 1941 Great Lakes-St. Lawrence agreement signed. (". . . for the cooperative development and utilization of the water in the GreatLakes-St. Lawrence River Basin for navigation and power. . . the construction of this project is regarded as directly associated with both the power-supply and ship-building phases of our national defense program, including the plan for defense of the Western Hemisphere and the determination to supply all possible aid to Great Britain, the members of the British Commonwealth, and their allies."Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 91, p. 304. Cf. Aug. 18, 1940, supra.)
20 March 1941 MEMORANDUM BY THE ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE (WELLES) REGARDING A CONVERSATION WITH THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR (OUMANSKY) "The Ambassador asked if I had any further information in confirmation of what I stated to him secretly in our last interview, namely, that this Government believed that Germany was planning to attack the Soviet Union." See doc.
21 March 1941 Three Yugoslav Cabinet officials resigned. (Because of German demands.Times, Mar. 22, 1941, p. 1. Cf. Mar. 13,supra.)
24 March 1941 Turkey and Russia issued communiqué promising each other to be neutral if either should be attacked by a third party.   (". . . because statements have been published in parts of the foreign press to the effect that Russia might take advantage of difficulties in which Turkey might find herself in case of her being obliged to enter the war, and might attack Turkey."Times, Mar. 25, 1941,p, 5.)
25 March 1941 Yugoslavia adhered to Axis pact. (". . . in the agreement between the Axis powers and the Royal Yugoslav Government the Axis power governments during this war will not direct a demand to Yugoslavia to permit the march or transportation of troops through the Yugoslav State or territory."Times, Mar. 26, 1941, p. 3.

"On this day on which Yugoslavia joins the tripartite pact she is doing so with the intention of assuring her peaceful future in cooperation with Germany, Italy, and Japan. Insofar as she is contributing her part to the organization of the new Europe, she is fulfilling the highest duty as much to herself as to the European community."Times, Mar. 26, 1941, p. 1. Cf. Mar. 13, supra.).
27 March 1941 British-American naval-air base agreement signed. (Cf. Aug. 20, Sept. 2, 1940, supra. (65 Stat., Pt. 2, p. 1560.)
27 March 1941 Anti-Nazi coup d'état in Yugoslavia. (King Peter II assumed power with aid of General Dusan Simovitch. "In these serious days the people of Yugoslavia felt concern at the manner in which public affairs were being handled. This lack of confidence in the state of affairs created during the last few days was manifested with such vigor that public order was endangered. The present changes came about under the pressure of this public anxiety. There are no other reasons for the change since the accession to power of King Peter II who at once formed a Government of national union representing the views of the Serb, Croat, and Slovene peoples."Bulletin, p. 349, Cf. footnote, Bulletin, Cf. Mar. 25,supra.)
27 March 1941 The United States appropriated $7,000,000,000 for lend-lease. (Public, No. 23, 77th Cong., 55 Stat., Pt. I p. 53.)
27 March 1941 Prime Minister Churchill promised British help to the new Yugoslav Government. (". . . to defend the freedom and in­tegrity of their country."Times, Mar. 28, 1941, p. 8) and said "the defeat of Hitler and of Hitlerism is a sufficient war aim and will open the door to every worthy peace aim." ("Every­one knows what we are fighting about, but if you try to set forth in a catalogue what will be the exact settlement of affairs in a period which is unforeseeable, you will find that the moment you leave the area of pious platitude you will descend into the arena of heated controversy, and that would militate against efforts which we are making, and we could not, in justice to our country, take such a step. "Times, p. 8.)
27 March 1941 RIBBENTROP GREETED MATSUOKA Berlin. " The political course which you have taken in Japan is the same that Germany has taken. " See doc.