[Secret]
From: Washington
To: Tokyo
November 26, 1941
Purple (Extremely urgent)
#1180. (Part 1 of 2)
From
NOMURA and KURUSU.
As
we have wired you several times, there is hardly any possibility of having them
consider our "B" proposal in toto. On the other hand, if we let the
situation remain tense as it is now, sorry as we are to say so, the
negotiations will inevitably be ruptured, if indeed they may not already be
called so. Our failure and humiliation are complete. We might suggest one thing
for saving the situation. Although we have grave misgivings, we might propose,
first, that President ROOSEVELT wire you that for the sake of posterity he
hopes that Japan and the United States will cooperate for the maintenance of
peace in the Pacific (just as soon as you wire us what you think of this, we
will negotiate for this sort of an arrangement with all we have in us), and
that you in return reply with a cordial message, thereby not only clearing the
atmosphere, but also gaining a little time. Considering the possibility that
England and the United States are scheming to bring the Netherlands Indies
under their protection through military occupation, in order to forestall this,
I think we should propose the establishment of neutral nations, including
French Indo-China, Netherlands India and Thai. (As you know, last September
President ROOSEVELT proposed the neutrality of French Indo-China and Thai.)
Army 25435
JD: 6891 Trans. 11-28-41 (1)
[Secret]
From: Washington
To: Tokyo
November 26, 1941
Purple (Extremely urgent)
#1180. (Part 2 of 2)
We
suppose that the rupture of the present negotiations does not necessarily mean
war between Japan and the United States, but after we break off, as we said,
the military occupation of Netherlands India is to be expected of England and
the United States. Then we would attack them and a clash with them would be
inevitable. Now, the question is whether or not Germany would feel duty bound
by the third article of the treaty to help us. We doubt if she would. Again,
you must remember that the Sino-Japanese incident would have to wait until the
end of this world war before it could possibly be settled.
In
this telegram we are expressing the last personal opinions we will have to
express, so will Your Excellency please be good enough at least to show it to
the Minister of the Navy, if only to him; then we hope that you will wire us
back instantly.
Army 25436
JD: 6896 Trans. 11-28-41 (1)
(EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 1 INTERCEPTED DIPLOMATIC MESSAGES SENT BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT BETWEEN JULY l AND DECEMBER 8, 1941)