203

Addison to Commonwealth Government

Cablegram D1482 LONDON, 17 August 1945, 11 p.m.

TOP SECRET

My immediately preceding telegram. [1]

Control and occupation of Japan.

Our information from Washington is that the United States authorities are pushing on with their plans for control of Japan with all possible speed and that if we wish to make our views known there before we are presented with cut and dried American proposals, immediate action is necessary. In the normal course we should naturally have wished to consult other British Commonwealth Governments on questions affecting all of us before communicating with the United States Government. But in the circumstances we have felt that if we are not to run the risk of being too late, we must put our suggestions to them without delay. His Majesty’s United Kingdom Minister at Washington has accordingly been authorized to put to the United States Government as a basis for consideration the conclusions outlined in my immediately preceding telegram. In the circumstances these are inevitably tentative and provisional.

Should be grateful for your views at the earliest possible moment.

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1 Document 202.

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[AA : A1066, P45/10/33/1]