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August 20th, 19/a
RIC:G
I took Mr, Duff Cooper to see the
President this morning.
Talking of Japan Mr. Roosevelt said
it had "been agreed with Mr. Churchill at their
recent meeting that, a warning should he given to
Japan in the terms of that recorded in H.E's
telegram No. He said that Mr. Churchill
had been in favour of a plain ultimatum which
he thought would stop Japan.     The President
said he agreed to the extent that he thought
there was a three to one chance Mr. Churchill
was right hut what was to he done if the
: Japanese nevertheless did not give way. Were
we in a position to follow up our ultimatum?
As on the contrary it seemed necessary for us
to gain time tefa»e the formula impliad "by the
President was agreed upon/ it was also agreed
that this should be communicated to the
Japanese Ambassador in the form of a memorandum.
When Mr. Welles reached Washington on the 16th
or 17th he found that meanwhile the Japanese
Ambassador had made a suggestion about a meeting
between   Prince Konoye and the President.
When therefore the President received Mr.Nomura
he first handed to him a memorandum in the
sense agreed with Mr. Churchill, emphasizing
it orally, and then asked Mr. Nomura if he
had anything to say.     The Japanese Ambassador
made the suggestion for the Japanese-American
meeting, whereupon the President handed him
another memorandum in the sense recorded in
H.E's telegram referred to above.     He said
that the next move was up to the Japanese and
he would await their answer to the proposal
about/
a"bout the status quo.     The President
doubted whether the answer would be
very satisfactory, "but he hoped that
he was gaining time.
Mr. Duff Cooper asked whether
the U.S. warning against the Japanese
moving further South contemplated a
move into Thailand and the President
said in a positive tone that it did.
I propose to mention this to Mr. Welles
and to see what he says.
I will also ask Mr. Welles for
the text of the two memoranda.
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