711.94/2540
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The Australian Minister, who called at my apartment at his request, came to report the substance of a talk which he had had with Ambassador Kurusu. This amounted to very little and there was really nothing new in what he said except that Kurusu made it repeatedly clear that the Japanese were very desirous of continuing conversations with this Government.
The Minister then referred to his notes and said that the British Ambassador desired to urge along with him, the Australian Minister, that I do the best possible to continue our relations with Japan so as to avoid a military conflict at this time, the idea being that they needed more time for preparations to resist in the Pacific area. This view has been asserted constantly during recent weeks by the British Ambassador, the Australian Minister, and twice by the Netherlands Minister.