Tuesday, 11 November

The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, made a speech yesterday, saying that if the United States was drawn into the war against Japan, Britain must declare war on Japan within one hour. He emphasized that the British navy was powerful, and if necessary, British fleets could be transferred to the Indian Ocean or the Pacific to serve. He also praised highly Generalissimo Chiang’s leadership of the Chinese resistance, and how China would score the final victory. This speech from Churchill is enough for truculent Japan to realise the real British attitude towards its forceful aggression; this also proves that the anti-aggression alliance has been further strengthened, which is particularly beneficial to us.

Hu Shih reported his talk with President Roosevelt yesterday as follows:

1) The Generalissimo asked the United States to warn Japan. Roosevelt smiled and said that the United States had now declared the withdrawal of the Marine Corps from China, but Wakasugi Kaname (若杉要) had not even mentioned it when he came to meet Roosevelt. But in respect of this matter Japan would certainly understand the meaning.

2) With regard to asking President Roosevelt to try his best to get assistance from Britain, Roosevelt said he had been liaising with Britain, and the British attitude was really good.

3) With regard to the matter that the United States provide help from the Philippines, Song Ziwen would put all the substantial methods into memorandum. President Roosevelt would immediately discuss them with the responsible sections in detail.

4) Roosevelt said that when Nomura Kichisaburō went to see him this morning,[1] it was said that Nomura told him that if there was any way to mediate the war between China and Japan, Japan could evacuate its troops in China within two years, but Nomura did not mention a withdrawal from the three northeast provinces and Inner Mongolia. At first, we just listened to him. If the United States wanted to discuss these things with Japan, it would certainly discuss them with the representatives of the Chinese Government first.

5) The President also said that the American air force had made great progress recently, and the Philippines had become the most important base. In the past those deemed as important bases for a naval war were now becoming the stronghold of an air war. Recently the United States had specifically bought many devices for the air force, which are unimaginable for the enemy. He begged Hu to secretly tell General Chiang, which would be a great relief for the latter.

With regard to Britain and the United States’ attitude towards our demands for assistance, though they could not completely satisfy what we asked for, things were already quite good. The various indications from Churchill and Roosevelt had already made the truculent Japan hard to deal with. This can be taken as substantial diplomatic success for us.

Today the Executive Yuan passed the resolution that Li Shishun would be the Plenipotentiary Minister to Canada. Liang Long would be Chief of the European Section, while Zhang Qian the American Section. This reciprocal relocation of staff of the internal and external sections, was the first step of my plan to readjust the organisation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was quite successful. This was a relief for me.

[1] Yesterday morning.