751G.92/56: Telegram
The Minister in Thailand (Grant) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—12:35 a.m.]
109. The Thai Cabinet today considered the latest Vichy refusal to cede to Thailand the two pieces of frontier territory west of the River Mekong and at the end of a 4-hour session adjourned without reaching a decision as to the next move, according to statement made to me this afternoon by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. In [Page 174] reply to my inquiry as to the probable action of the Cabinet, the Deputy Minister said he believed the negotiations with Vichy would be continued. I elicited from him the further indication that Thailand is determined to get the territory in question but want[s] to acquire it through peaceful methods. He said his Government would likely not denounce the pending treaty of non-aggression with France but would refuse to ratify it unless Vichy agrees to return the frontier territory. Unless a special session is called, the Cabinet will not meet again until next Wednesday.
I took the occasion to reiterate to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs the position of my Government in believing sincerely that the strict maintenance of the status quo and the determination on the part of Thailand to refrain from using force would prove to be in the interest of, and for the ultimate welfare of, Thailand. I also pointed out to him what I described as an alarming situation which seems to be developing here as the result of agitation in the form of demonstrations featured by banners advocating the use of force and newspaper editorials of the same character. I said it seemed to me, and some of my colleagues felt the same way about it, that this agitation was directly contrary to the policy which had been announced for the Thai Government by the Prime Minister. The things that were being done publicly, I thought, may result in creating a mass psychology which would defeat the very aims, as announced by the Government, for the peaceful settlement of all questions.
The French Minister informed me today that he had sent a telegram to his Government to the effect that the situation is very grave and that there will be fighting on the Thai–Indochina frontier within 6 weeks, or as soon as the wet season ends, unless the concessions requested are made to the Thai. At the same time the French Minister sent to the Thai Prime Minister a message marked “secret and urgent”, copy of which he furnished me, in which he begged the Thai to examine the Vichy reply carefully “in the general light of the problem of the French Empire, menaced in its integrity at various points at the same time.” One renunciation at any point whatsoever, the French Minister added in his note, would compromise the fate of the whole. He then urged that Thailand agree to proceed with the work of the mixed Mekong commission for the settlement of the boundary within the river involving some islands. The French Minister is playing for time in the hope that military action may be avoided and in this connection he expressed the opinion that the representations which I have made to the Thai officials on behalf of my Government urging the strict maintenance of the status quo have helped to hold the Thai in check, resulting in the continuance of the negotiations since the Thai Government is greatly desirous of retaining the good will of the United [Page 175] States. He believes strongly, however, that the Thai are determined to acquire whatever the cost the two pieces of frontier territory.
Foregoing sent to Tokyo.
[Here follows section on propaganda and demonstrations regarding Thai claims on Indochina.]