711.94/1580
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The British Ambassador came in at his request and stated orally the substance of the attached aide-mémoire.82 I replied that as to the first suggestion about sending our fleet to Singapore and exerting economic pressure on Japan my Government for manifest reasons would not be in a position at this time to send its navy that far away, assuming that it might otherwise desire to do so, an assumption which I am not in any sense accepting as true or practical. I said that I would let him know further about my impressions in regard to the second proposal in the aide-mémoire. The Ambassador was accompanied by the Minister of Australia, who was likewise interested in the matter.
The Ambassador also handed me a note (copy attached)83 regarding Great Britain’s determination to continue the struggle against Germany even in the event of a complete capitulation by France.