Cablegram [Secret and] Personal for the Minister 4 TOKYO, 29 July 1946
TOP SECRET IMMEDIATE
This week I have received several reports of Moscow Press reactions to the Allied Council. In these reports repeated attacks are made on Atcheson as a reactionary. I am always described as the ‘British Representative’ and my statements are generally quoted with approval as providing a British reputation’ of Atcheson argument.
I fear that the Soviet’s method of reporting Allied Council proceedings may be causing some embarrassment to the United Kingdom.
The essential feature of the situation as I understand it is that Atcheson is eager to seize any and every opportunity to declaim against the Russians. I have felt that I should make some attempt to react to each situation on its own merits and not to seek to exploit any sceptical comment or question by Derevyanko as an opportunity to attack Communism. I have supported Atcheson against Derevyanko on each substantial issue before the Council and only showed sympathy with the Russian views on certain procedural issues and on those occasions when Atcheson has used, the Russian comment as a peg for a naive’ individualist’ attack on Communism.
If you desire me to echo American hostility towards Communism on every occasion when this issue is raised please instruct.
My own views are such an echo might be premature since I am extremely sceptical about the success of current S.C.A.P. policy to ‘democratise’ Japan.
To identify ourselves ‘closely’ with the present American statements may embarrass us later.
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1 ‘Reputation’ presumably should read ‘refutation’.
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[AA: A1838/238, 482/1/71]