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Copy of a telegram No. 3197 from H.M. Ambassador, United States to Foreign Office, dated 5th
October, 1940.
MOST IMMEDIATE.
My telegram No. 2177.
I asked Under Secretary of State today whether United States Government had considered the possibility of sending a squadron to Singapore in order to convince Japan of risks which it would run if it attacked either the Dutch or ourselves, He replied that the question was under consideration but that he was opposed to doing so at the moment. A visit there might so (grp.omtd.) Japanese opinion as to put wild men in charge while despatch of a squadron there except in retaliation against Japanese action might become a fiasco and might have an undesirable effect on American public opinion.
Mr. Welles then enquired whether there had been any reply to the President's proposal about staff talks which he thought was a very important and far-reaching proposal, and hoped that there would be no long delay in getting an answer. I replied that I thought it would be necessary for His Majesty's Government to consult Governments of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, before they could give an answer.
I then asked him whether he had any idea as to the form the talks should take. He said that he thought that the best place for them to take place as they related to the Pacific would be Washington. Great practical difficulty was to get a Dutch expert over here quickly enough. I suggested to him that it might be possible to have a preliminary talk in London immediately between members of the Dutch Government, Admiral Gormley, Bruce of Australia and a British representative who could explore ground and then arrange for an inner technical committee to meet as soon as possible in Washington. I have no doubt that right place for the talks to take place is in Washington, if only because the fact of them taking place will certainly become known with corresponding effect on Japanese and in heartening Dutch. Welles said that he thought that the best way of approach in New Zealand (? grp.omtd.) some mutual agreement for defence measures from Japanese attack would be through staff talks.
M. Sumner Welles then read me telegram from American Ambassador at Moscow recording a conversation with Mr. Y. deputy Minister for Foreign Affirs about (sic) meaning of pact. Mr. Y. affected to be-little importance of tne pact but said that it would involve no change in policy of Russia towards China, He added further that he thought that the world was falling into three grats: Axis-Japanese group Anglo-American group and U.S.S.R. American Ambassador thought that underlying this (grp.undec.) ation there was much anxiety in Moscow about the future.
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