[Secret]
From: Tokyo
To: Washington
November 28, 1941.
Purple (CA)
#844
Re
your #1189 [a]
Well,
you two Ambassadors have exerted superhuman efforts but, in spite of this, the
United States has gone ahead and presented this humiliating proposal. This was
quite unexpected and extremely regrettable. The Imperial Government can by no
means use it as a basis for negotiations. Therefore, with a report of the views
of the Imperial Government on this American proposal which I will send you in
two or three days, the negotiations will be de facto ruptured. This is
inevitable. However, I do not wish you to give the impression that the
negotiations are broken off. Merely say to them that you are awaiting
instructions and that, although the opinions of your Government are not yet
clear to you, to your own way of thinking the Imperial Government has always
made just claims and has borne great sacrifices for the sake of peace in the
Pacific. Say that we have always demonstrated a long-suffering and conciliatory
attitude, but that, on the other hand, the United States has been unbending,
making it impossible for Japan to establish negotiations. Since things have
come to this pass, I contacted the man you told me to in your #1180 [b] and he
said that under the present circumstances what you suggest is entirely
unsuitable. From now on do the best you can.
Army 25445
JD 6898 Trans. 11-28-41 (S)
[a] S.I.S. # 25441, # 25442.
[b] S.I.S. # 25435, # 25436.
(EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 1 INTERCEPTED DIPLOMATIC MESSAGES SENT BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT BETWEEN JULY l AND DECEMBER 8, 1941)