Cablegram 277 LONDON, 7 August 1945, 8.47 p.m.
TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL
Your telegram 213 of 4th August. [1]
My immediately following telegram contains the text of the Three Power Proclamation to Japan as issued from Potsdam on 26th July.
It is I agree, unfortunate that this should have been issued without previous communication with the Dominion Governments.
Actually however, the proposed text was not available in London before issue nor was it known here at what time the issue would take place. We understand that President Truman initiated the proposal at Potsdam by communicating to the United Kingdom Delegation the Draft of a statement. The heads of the United Kingdom Delegation then suggested certain amendments for consideration by President Truman. President Truman accepted these amendments and on 25th July, the day on which heads of the United Kingdom Delegation left for London, pressed for publication at the earliest possible moment. It was then left to him to arrange this.
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1 Document 156.
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[AA : A1066, P45/10/1/1]