JAPAN'S QUANDARY IN THE RUSSO-GERMAN WAR 34,1

that the direct cause of the resignation on June 11 of Mr. Ishiguro,
Minister of Agriculture, was the recent imprisonment of the Director
of the Agricultural Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture for
appropriating official funds to be used for totalitarian propaganda.

On June 17 it was announced by the press that there would be
set up within the cabinet a new Bureau for Thought Control and
that the suppression of dangerous thoughts held by government
officials would be one of its primary objectives.

An indication of dissatisfaction with Japan's policy and of opposi-
tion to the trend towards the Nazi and Fascist ideologies was revealed
in a very enlightening way by the speeches of delegates to the Co-
operative Council of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. At
that meeting it was admitted by various speakers that important
pro-American and pro-British elements existed within Japan, and it
was urged by at least one speaker that Japan should not imitate the
Nazi totalitarian system.

The lack of unity in the nation is strongly suggested by the fore-
going indications as well as by careful expressions of criticism in
newspaper editorials. That the diplomatic policy of Japan has not
been finally settled and that a sudden change in orientation is not
impossible are implied by the foregoing indications.

GERMANY ATTACKS RUSSIA : FIRST IMPRESSIONS

June 22, 1941

News of the war between Germany and Soviet Russia came to-day.
We had long expected it but I was surprised at its suddenness, be-
lieving that it would break somewhat later. From the beginning of
the war in Europe I have ventured only two certain predictions—one,
that Great Britain would not be defeated and, two, that Germany
and Soviet Russia would eventually be fighting against each other.
One prophecy has materialized; the other will materialize in due
course.

This ne\tfs seems to prove two things : first, that the Germans have
abandoned the intention of trying to invade England this summer
and, second, that the Germans are getting hard up ^for supplies,
primarily oil. I don't know, nor do any of us know with certainty,
the potential fighting ability of the Soviet Army.

JAPAN'S QUANDARY IN THE RUSSO-GERMAN WAR

June 23, 1941

Japan is in a quandary as a result of the German-Soviet war ; she
is pledged to the Axis and also pledged to neutrality vis-a-vis Soviet
Russia ; what policy will she now follow ? One highly placed Japanese
said that he thought Japan would sit on the fence until the com-
batants had fought it out and then step in and pick up the pieces.