Office of the Historian

740.00114 Pacific War/151: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)

Washington, March 1, 1943.

505. American interests—Thailand. Your 1130, February 18th.16 Swiss Consulate, Bangkok, should be informed that United States Government does not agree with statement that Geneva Prisoners of War Convention is inapplicable in Thailand, as Thai Government is a party to the Convention and as Japanese Government has agreed to apply its provisions.17

[Page 967]

Request Swiss Minister, Tokyo, to bring this matter to the attention of the Japanese authorities and to insist that the Japanese military forces in Thailand apply the provisions of the Geneva Convention to American prisoners of war held by them.

Welles
  1. Not printed; it reported the views of the Thai Foreign Office concerning an American aviator shot down in Thailand and made prisoner by Japanese forces.↩
  2. In telegram No. 503, March 1, to the Minister in Switzerland, the Department requested that the Swiss Consul in Thailand remind the Bangkok authorities of their obligations under the Geneva Convention in connection with an American aviator arrested by Thai authorities (390.1115/6467).↩