Office of the Historian

740.0011 Pacific War/674

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State

[Washington,] November 30, 1941.

The British Ambassador called at his request and handed me the accompanying memorandum,47 which is self-explanatory. He was very desirous of ascertaining what the United States Government would do if the British should resist any Japanese undertaking to establish a base on the Kra Isthmus. I said that the President was returning tomorrow morning and that I would lay all phases of the situation before him on Monday noon. This I proceeded later to do and the President agreed to notify and see the Ambassador with respect to his inquiry. Previously the Ambassador had sent me a telegram48 (copy attached) received from his Foreign Office on this same matter.

The Ambassador continued his attitude of desiring more time for his Government to make preparations to resist in the Pacific area. He assured me that his Government would be in harmony with any steps we might pursue to this end.

C[ordell] H[ull]
  1. Vol. v, p. 360.↩
  2. Possibly document received November 14, vol. v, p. 340.↩