INTERNATIONAL PROSECUTION SECTION 4 December 1946 TO: Frank S. Tavenner, Jr. FROM: Eugene D. Williams In accordance with the directions left by Mr. Keenan and the specific discussions I had with him prior to his leaving, I am at this time relinquishing all authority in connection with the preparation or presentation of the prosecution’s case. I understand that in general Justice Mansfield will have charge of the Class B and C offenses, but it is also my understanding that you have and are to exercise over-all supervision of this matter. In respect of the preparation of cases against the individual defendants, you have been given over-all authority to supervise and direct this work. In this connection your attention is called to the fact that a certain amount of material with reference to the individual defendants is filed in the filing cabinet in my office under the name of each defendant and that this material should be examined by you and made available to the lawyers charged with preparing the cases against individual defendants. Miss Culverwell has a very exhaustive summary of what has already been proved which is available for the use of any person interested. General Vasiliev is somewhat disturbed because in the Chinese phase certain evidence provided by the Russians was not used to prove that the Japanese resorted to bacteriological warfare. He says the Russians have two witnesses now in Vladivostock who are available to supplement what evidence we have here. I informed him that I had reviewed the evidence available during the Chinese case and had reached the conclusion that it was not sufficient to warrant opening that issue. He is disturbed, however, and would like to have a definite decision reached. I think you should take this matter up with him. It has also been suggested by General Vasiliev that he would like to have all information which any attorneys have in reference to the complicity of Shigemitsu and Umezu, and on the other hand he is prepared to provide all other attorneys with such information as he has in respect of the other defendants. I am getting out a memo on this point but am calling it specifically to your attention at this time.