JAPAN’S APPEAL WAS REJECTED

Southland Times, Issue 25747, 10 August 1945, Page 5

JAPAN’S APPEAL WAS REJECTED

Desire For Russian Mediation

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, August 9. M. Molotov at a Press conference last night revealed that a Japanese appeal to Russia to mediate between Japan and the Western Allies was made in the middle of June through the Japanese Ambassador. It was followed a month later by a personal message from the Emperor. It was turned down cold, according to an American broadcast from Moscow. He added that Mr Truman, Mr Churchill and Mr Attlee were fully informed about Japan’s mediation appeal during the Potsdam conference. Mr Sato’s return to Japah would depend on when the Soviet Ambassador returned. Mr Sato was being allowed to send some last messages, after which communications with Japan would be cut.

M. Molotov’s statement to Mr Sato was introduced by the following words: “After the rout and capitulation of Hitlerite Germany, Japan remained the only great Power insisting on the continuation of the war. The British, American and Chinese demand of July 26 for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed forces was rejected by Japan, and the Japanese Government’s offer to the Soviet to mediate in the Far Eastern war became baseless.” SATISFACTION IN LONDON Official quarters in London have received the Russian declaration with great satisfaction, says Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent. ' It is regarded as one of the main achievements of the Potsdam Conference and one of the first fruits of the talks between M.' Stalin and Dr T. V. Soong, the Chinese Prime Minister.

Some surprise was expressed that the Russians had decided to fight Japan at such an early date, but there have been persistent, though unofficial, reports that the Soviet would enter the Japanese war 90 days after Germany’s collapse on May 8. Mr Attlee issued the following statement from Downing Street: “We in Britain fully appreciated and understood the tremendous sacrifice and strain imposed on Russia by her heroic campaign against Nazi Germany, and we always had confidence that as soon as victory was won in the west Russia would take her stand with her Allies against the enemy on the eastern front. Germany’s unconditional surrender has now made possible the deployment of Soviet forces against the last of the aggressors. “The declaration of war made today by Russia against Japan is proof of the solidarity existing between the principal Allies and should shorten the struggle and establish conditions which will, allow general peace to be brought about. We welcome this great decision of Soviet Russia.” “There is still time, but little time, for the Japanese to save themselves from the destruction threatening them,” said the United States Secretary of State, Mr James Byrnes, in a statement in Washington. He hoped that the Japanese people would realize that more resistance to the forces of the nations now united in the enforcement of law and justice would be futile. Mr Byrnes said that Mr Truman at the Potsdam Conference invited an expression from Russia on the possibility of her entry into the war against Japan. Mr Byrnes quoted a section of the United Nations Charter making Russia, as one of the Big Five, jointly responsible for the peace until the new world organization was actually formed. He added that the following expression of Mr Truman’s viewpoint was conveyed to M. Stalin: “It seems to me that under the terms , of the Moscow Declaration and the provision of the United Nations Charter it would be proper for the Soviet to indicate her willingness to consult the other great Powers now at war with Japan with a view to joint action on behalf of the community of nations to maintain peace and security.”

Russia’s entry into the Pacific war is expected to intensify psychological activity directed at persuading Japan that resistance is now Completely futile, says the Associated Press. Already the Allies are capitalizing to the full extent on the atomic bomb threat. In Washington and London in the last few hours there have been expectations of a new ultimatum to Japan to quit now or face national annihilation.