Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The British Commonwealth, The Far East, Volume VI

740.00119 PW/7–1745

The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)

Washington, July 17, 1945.

Dear Mr. Secretary: In reply to your telephone inquiry today, I am glad to send you the following facts concerning the status of studies for military government in Japan:

1. On February 18, 1944, General Hilldring and Captain Pence asked the State Department for the recommendation and advice of the Department in connection with future planning for military government and the administration of civil affairs in Japan and other areas in the Far East, and submitted a list of specific questions.⁸⁴

2. On May 15, 1944, the Department transmitted to General Hilldring and Captain Pence sets of twenty-one documents approved by the Department which answered these specific questions.⁸⁵

3. On March 27, 1944, General Hilldring and Captain Pence prepared a further list of questions relating especially to the military government in Formosa.⁸⁶

4. In response, sets of fourteen documents, approved by the Department, were submitted to General Hilldring and Captain Pence.⁸⁶

5. On August 16, 1944, General Hilldring and Captain Sabin submitted an additional list of questions on which they requested the advice and recommendations of the State Department.⁸⁷ In response sixteen additional documents, approved by the Department, were submitted to General Hilldring and Captain Sabin.

6. Since the organization of the State-War-Navy Sub-Committee on the Far East the State Department has submitted since April 30, 1945, over ten policy documents mainly on military government and the administration of civil affairs, including the basic document on initial post-defeat policy on Japan⁸⁸ which has been approved by the Department.

7. The State-War-Navy Sub-Committee on the Far East is organized and is constantly adding further documents to this list. The Sub-Committee is now working on some twenty-five additional documents which will be presented to the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee in the near future. All of these are submitted by State Department representatives.

We feel that as far as the State Department’s contribution is concerned our preparations are very well along as most of the basic policy questions have been covered.

Joseph C. Grew

84. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. v, p. 1190.
85. ibid., p. 1262.
86. Not printed.
86. Not printed.
87. See letter of July 21, 1944, Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. v, p. 1271.
88. See SWNCC 150, June 11, p. 549, and SC–138a, June 27, p. 555.