Australian Archives, Dickson, A.C.T.

CRS A816; CA 46, Department of Defence C0-ordination. Correspondence files, multiple number series, (Class 301) (Classified) 1935-1957.

item: 40/301/396 "Protest of Japanese Government Regarding Attacks On Hospital Ships" 1943-1945

01)Cablegram (D. No. 301) No. 1017/ I. 21038 20 May '43 recvd 21 May
'43 from Secretary of State fro Dominion Affairs, London to PM's Dept.
- Next telegram contains the text of a note from Swiss Govt. regarding attacks on six
Japanese Hospital Ships..

02)Cablegram (D. No. 302) No. 1019/ I. 21142 20 May '43 recvd 21 May '43 from Secretary of State fro Dominion Affairs, London to PM's Dept. - Text of a note from Swiss Govt. regarding attacks on six Japanese Hospital Ships.

03)Copy of Outwards teleprinter message (M.2120) 13h38 22 May '43 from Mr. Quealy to The Secretary - Refers to D.301 & D.302 suggested this matter be referred to Gen MacArthur

04)Letter 24 May '43 form John Curtin, Minister for Defence to Gen. MacArthur - The Minister for Defence seeks the observations of the General as early as possible.

05)Letter (6871) 30 May '43 from Douglas MacArthur to Prime Minister John Curtin - MacArthur responds to the 24 May '43 communication received from the Swiss containing a protest from Japanese re attacks on six of their hospital ships...MacArthur lays out the facts relative to the allegations insofar as they are know to SWPA

06)Teleprinter 11h41 1 June '43 from Mr. Landau - text of MacArthur's letter (6871) forwarded for necessary action by Direction of the Secretary

07)Memorandum 11 June '43 for Secretary, Dept. of External Affairs, Canberra - Refers to D.301 and D.302 and includes MacArthur's commentsto enable a reply to be sent to the UK Govt.

08)Cablegram (No. 142) 0.16001/4/5/9/12/13 sent 13 June '43 to Sexretary od State for Dominion Affairs, London - Refers to D. 302...Commander in Chief, SWPA, has been consulted and has furnished following comments

09)Inwards Teleprinter Message 5h32 16 June '43 from Mr. Mulrooney for mr. Harding in the Army Dept. - Reference to D.302 error in transmission of longitude for 'Huso Maru'

10)Copy of message 18 June '43 to Brisbane Secretariat for Gen. MacArthur - Reference to (6871 30 May '43) revised Longitude for 'Huso Maru' forwarded to MacArthur

11)Letter 18 June '43 from Douglas MacArthur to Prime Minister John Curtin - Acknowledges 18 June '43 message and reference to D.302..The matter rechecked on the basis of new information and no variation of advice contained in 30 May is necessary as the result of this correction

12)Cablegram (BXM 560) 11h12 19 June '43 to Secretary from Brisbane Secretariat - text of letter 18 June '43 from Douglas MacArthur to Prime Minister

13)Memorandum (SS. 6049) 22 July '43 for The Secretary, Dept. of External Affairs - Refers to D. 302 corrected longitude and observation that no variation of advice forwarded in memorandum of 11 June '43

14)Cablegram (D.1191) SC 212 28 Dec. '43 recvd 30 Dec. 43 from Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, London to Prime Minisre's Dept. - Refers to D. 301 of 20 May '43..Precise terms of reply of Japanese alleged attacks on their hopital ships under discussion with US Govt..a protest regarding further attacks has been recvd from Swiss and will follow in next telegram

15)Cablegram (D.1192) SC 216 I.51836 28 Dec. '43 recvd 20 Dec. 43 from Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, London to Prime Minister's Dept. - Refers to text of protest

16)Cablegram (No. 494) I.1649 SC.535 5.50 p.m. 13 Jan. '44 recvd 14 Jan. '44 from High Commssioner's Office, London to Defence - Refers to No. 349 10 Jan. '44 and War Office 56677 of 9 Jan...."As the Japanese have threatened to sink any hospital ship carrying civilians on the grounds that the ship has thus forfeited her protected status, War Transport advise they cannot repeat cannot agree to convoy civilian internees from Australia by hospital ship. You will be advised of any other opportunity to ship German internees passed by Mixed Medical Commission."

17) Foreign Office Copy (W.356/12/49 Registry No. W.7242/379/49) 10 Jan. '44 - Foreign Office reply to Japanese via Swiss with reference to J.3.A.6/508 of 12 May '43(?)

18)Copy of Outwards teleptinter message (D. 201) 11h50 1 Jan. '43 from Mr. Quealy to Mr. Mulrooney, External Communications Branch - Refers to D.1192 of 28 Dec (I.51836)..check long/lat error in paragraph 3...arrange for a general check to be made of all names, dates and figures

19)Letter 14 Jan. '44 to General MacArthur - Advises the Gen. that precise terms of response to Japanese are still under consideration...however, a protest regarding further attacks has been recvd ...The Minister would be grateful for your comments on the further protst by the Japanese Government

20)Cablegram (D. No. 86) I.2191 SC 293 18 Jan. '44 recvd 19 Jan. '44 from Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, London to Prime Minister's Dept. - Refers to D. 1191...Reply to the Japanese protest of May last has now been sent to the Swiss Legation, London

21)Letter (14207) 21 Jan. '44 from Douglas MacArthur to Prime Minister John Curtin - Refers to 14 Jan. '44 letter from PM concerning Japanese protest via UK Govt of alleged atacks on four hospital ships. MacArthur attaches a copy of (AG 560 (28 Aug. '43)B) 30 Aug. '43 report by Maj. Gen. R.K. Sutherland, U.S. Army, Chief of Staff to War Department, Washington, D.C. for three of the Japanese hospital ships...the fourth alleged attack on America Maru reported to the War Dept. via letter 21 Jan. '44 (extract quoted)

22)Cablegram (D. no. 599) I.15215, SC461 21 Apr. '44 recvd 16h32 22 Apr. '44 from Dept. of External Affairs to Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, London - US Govt reply handed to Spanish Embassy 28 March for three vessels disclaiming responsibility in all cases fourth hospital ship was unknown to US Forces..

23)Telegraphic message (J 3.A.6/226) 10 May '44 from Japanese via Swiss - Refers to Foreign Office W 356/12/49 of 10 Jan. '44 regarding alleged attacks on Japanese hospital ships...Japanese supply further results of investigations on the six hospital ships.

24)Letter 3 Feb. '44 from Minister of Defence to Gen MacArthur - Acknowledges receipt of 21 Jan. '44 regarding protest of Japanese Govt....forwarded for your information is Japanese reply to protest over sinking of Centaur...

25)Letter (D. No. 10) 25 Jan. '44 from Mr. Cranborne Dominions Office, London to The Prime Minister - Refers to D. 86 18 Jan '44...a copy of note replying to Japanese re alleged attacks on their hospital ships is transmitted

26)Memorandum 3 Feb. '44 for Secretary, Dept. of External Affairs from Mr. F.G.Shedden - Refers to cablegrams D.1191 and D. 1192...Gen. MacArthurs comments on the further protest of the Japanese Govt embodied in D.1192 have been reported by to him to War dept. Washington...Gen. MacArthur furnished with Japanese response to Centaur sinking

27)Telegraphic communication Swiss Legation (J 3.A.6/226) 10 May '44 - Refers to Foreign Office W 356/12/49 10 Jan. '44 contains text of further communications in reply to Br. Govt.

28)Foreign Office 15 July '44 additional reply to Japanese via Swiss J 3.A.6/226 10 May '44

29)etter (D. No. 92) 27 July '44 from Mr. Cranborne Dominions Office, London to The Prime Minister - Refers to D. 10 25 Jan '44...a copy of further protests from Japanese regrding alleged attacks on Japanese hospital ships along with a copy of the reply returned to the Legation

30)Letter 3 Sept, '44 To Gen. MacArthur brought up to date re Japanese protests of attacks on their hospital ships

31)Copy of F.O. 29 Sept. '44 ( (W 14157/12/49) J.3.A.6./460.) note from Japanese via Swiss - Refers to Foreign Office W 356/12/49 of 10 Jan. '44 - In the two replies of Br. Govt...Japanese Govt totally and emphatically refute these allegations...regret that replies of Br. Govt are most unsatisfactory...

32)Letter (D. No. 147) 17 Oct. '44 from Mr. Cranborne Dominions Office, London to The Prime Minister - Refers to D. 92 27 July '44...a copy of note conveying further protest from Japanese Govt regarding the alleged attacks on Japanese hospital ships

33)Letter (D. No. 156) 14 Nov. '44 from Mr. Cranborne Dominions Office, London to The Prime Minister - Refers to D.147 17 Oct '44...nothingcan usefully be added to the previous communication...proposed that no reply should be returned to the further protest from the Japanese Government

34)Draft copy Dec. '44 of Foreign Office reply to J.3.A.6./460 of 29 Sept. '44 - "...in no instance has a Japanese ship been attacked which either had or ought to have been previously identified as a hospital ship."...request that Japanese advise if any hospital ships have been withdrawn from that service

35)Letter (D. No. 168) 12 Dec. '44 from Mr. Cranborne Dominions Office, London to The Prime Minister - Refers to D. 156 14 Nov. '44...Prisoners of War report Japanese making certain use of their hospital ships...this has "led to reconsideration of the decision not to send any reply to the latest communication from the Japanese Government about attacks alleged to have been made on hospital ships...

36)Letter (D. No. 32) 5 March. '45 from Mr. Cranborne Dominions Office, London to The Prime Minister - Refers to D. 168 12 Dec. '44...a note was addressed to the Swiss Legation on 24 Feb '45 for communication to Japanese Govt.