Page 117

Parent Collaboration Between Japan, Germany and Italy Volume III
Date 23 February 1940
Language English
Collection Tavenner Papers & IMTFE Official Records
Box Box 15
Folder Japan, Germany, Italy Collaboration Vol 3
Repository University of Virginia Law Library
differently, they stated that the time for generali¬ties had passed, and they wished to settle details. The Germans also stated that they wished when drawing up the treaty to make no mention of it being primarily against Russia, but to keep it absolutely general, to leave out any details such as non-military aid, etc., which would weaken the pact. They said that some other means could be found to decide upon details. "Q. General, when you say RIBBENTROP said some other means could be found to decide upon details, what did the two of you have in mind? "A. To go into this a little further, this means that when the treaty is drawn up it would simply state that in case of an unprovoked attack by any other nation not a signatory to Jbhe pact mutual aid would be given by the si gnat ories. On the surface, therefore, this would appear to the world to be a strong and binding treaty. Of course, certain details of the treaty, or for that matter, the whole treaty would be published, but what RIBBENTROP meant was that in regard to Japan's desire to not give more than non-military aid, if the country concerned was not Russia, the Germans wished to hold a meeting and to mutually agree upon this without including it in the actual treaty. Es¬sentially, it becomes Impossible to write up a treaty containing such clauses as what will be done in case it would be Russia or in case it would be some other nation, etc.