751G.92/2: Telegram
The Minister in Thailand (Grant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:44 p.m.]
51. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs32 today conveyed to me verbally a confidential message from the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs33 requesting me informally to communicate with my Government in order to ascertain its attitude toward the return to Thailand of the territory in Indo-China which was ceded to France by Thailand, in the event a measure should arise whereby there would be a partition or acquisition of Indo-China by other parties. In this instance, the Deputy Minister mentioned quite confidentially that his Government believes and fears that Japan is about to annex Indo-China.
In reply to an inquiry the Deputy Minister said his Government was approaching the British, American, German, and Italian Governments on the subject at the present time and that the Japanese Government would be approached later. The Deputy Minister added that his Government hoped that the reply of my Government would be favorable to the Thai proposal. A reply by telegraph would be appreciated by the Thai Government. He also asked me for my personal opinion regarding the proposal which I declined to give on the ground that the subject involves a major policy of my Government.
[Page 75]The Thai Government is planning to send a military mission headed by the Deputy Minister of Defense to Tokyo and another mission headed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy to Rome and Berlin probably the latter part of this month. It is believed that Thai ambitions to reclaim the lost provinces in Indo-China will be on the agenda of discussions.
The British Minister34 who preceded me at the Foreign Office informed me late today that he had made a second call at the Foreign Office this afternoon following the receipt of a telegram from the British Consul General at Saigon stating that Chiang Kai Shek had sent a telegram to the French authorities in Indo-China to the effect that [he would] send an army of 300,000 into Indo-China to fight the Japanese if the latter attempt an invasion. The British Minister said that while he was suggesting to his Government in connection with his communication regarding the Thai proposal that a friendly reply be made he himself had strongly urged the Thai officials to move with extreme caution in the matter in order to avoid possible entanglements with Japanese aggressive policies and also possible complications with China. He added that he had succeeded in getting the Thai officials to broaden the membership of their proposed mission to Tokyo to include a civilian member, to have the two missions designated as “good will” missions and to include London in the itinerary of the mission to Rome and Berlin.
As a result of the temporary indisposition of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, there has been a slight delay in the presentation of my credentials. However, it has now been arranged for me to see the Prime Minister next Saturday and to present my credentials to the Regency early next week.