711.94/2527
Memorandum by Mr. John F. Stone, of the Office of the Secretary of State
The War Department has received the following report from the Commanding General at Honolulu:
Mr. Keswick, secretary to Duff Cooper, who traveled from the Far East to the Pacific Coast with Kurusu, and who is continuing on to Washington and London as a courier, states that Kurusu’s mission to this country is to confirm reports that the United States Government is not bluffing; that if there is any weakness in our attitude the Japanese Government will continue on its path of aggression in a bigger and better way; but that if Kurusu and his Government are convinced of the strength and determination of the American Government, there is a strong possibility that there will be no further hostile actions on the part of the Japanese Government.
The foregoing was telephoned to me by Colonel Bratton, who suggested the possible advisability of a member of the Department talking with Keswick while he is here in Washington and before he leaves for London.21
- The Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton) saw Mr. Keswick the same afternoon and was told that his information was based on comment in Manila of a Netherlands East Indies adviser, who added that the Dutch Secret Service “had seen a copy of the Japanese Prime Minister’s instructions to Mr. Kurusu”; Mr. Keswick indicated also that “Malaya is overprepared, as contrasted with Burma, which is underprepared.”↩