AIDE-MEMOIRE
According to reports received from the American
Legation at Bangkok, Thailand was invaded early on the
morning of December 8, 1941, by Japanese military and
naval forces.    Thai forces resisted, but a few hours
later the Thai Government ordered cessation of resistance.
Negotiations then took place between the Thai Government
and the Japanese.    On December 12, 1941, the Thai Minister
Mom Rajawongse Seni PramoJ, informed the Department of
State that he had received a telegram from the Thai
Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Bangkok, stating that
Thailand had entered into an offensive and defensive
alliance with Japan.
The Thai Minister has informed the Department that
on December 11, 1941, he telegraphed the Thai Ministry of
Foreign Affairs as follows:
HI announced at press conference 4:50 p.m.
today my intention to work for re-establishment of
independent Thailand,   I shall henceforth carry out
only orders which in my opinion are of His Majesty's
Government's free will."
The
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The Thai Minister has informed the Department that
he repudiates the recent alliance concluded between the
Thai Government and Japan.
The offensive and defensive alliance between Japan
and Thailand was, on the part of the latter, obviously
part of a gesture of surrender to an invading force, but
as the conclusion of that alliance was an affirmative act
on the part of the Thai Government, the Government of the
United States, being in a state of war with the other party
to the alliance, must of necessity regard the action of the
Thai Government as unfriendly to the United States.
The Thai Minister to the United States having repudiated
the Thai-Japanese alliance and having expressed the opinion
that the alliance does not represent the true will of the
Thai people, the Government of the United States has Instruc-
ted the American Minister to withdraw from Bangkok as soon
as he has done what is possible in regard to the with-
drawal of American citizens from Thailand.
The Department has under consideration the question
of issuing to the press a statement along the lines mentioned
above,
above, in which it is proposed to include a statement that the
Government of the United States will continue to deal with
the Thai Minister in Washington as the representative in the
United States of the free people of Thailand.   Before releas-
ing the statement, however, the Department would appreciate
receiving the views of the British Government on this question
It may be added that the Thai Minister in Washington
has informed the Department that he believes that he can, if
given the support of the Government of the United States,
establish a rallying point for large groups of Thai people
(in the Philippines, Malaya Peninsula and elsewhere) who he
states are chagrined and humiliated by the action of the
Thai Government in entering into an alliance with Japan.
Before informing the Thai Minister of the attitude of this
Government toward the proposed "Free Thai" movement, the
Department would be pleased to receive the views of the
British Government in regard thereto.
Department of State,
Washington, December 18, 1941.