A confidential letter about the Japanese attitude toward the United States

Subject(s): International relations, Japan, Kuroki, Tamemoto, 1844-1923, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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A retired army officer, writing from France, reports confidentially on a conversation that occurred during a recent dinner with diplomats from England and Japan. A “man of some importance” from Japan described the expected ententes that will soon be formed among the French, English, Japanese, Russians, and perhaps the Germans. Once those alliances are in place, Japan will turn its attention to avenging the insults it has received from the United States. Japan will not only take the Philippine and Sandwich Islands, but will make a colony of California and the Pacific Coast.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-11

Creator(s)

Unknown

Recipient

Unknown

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

5

Production Method

Handwritten

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Letter

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.

Citation

Cite this Record

Chicago:

A confidential letter about the Japanese attitude toward the United States. [June 11, 1907]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o56249. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Unknown. A confidential letter about the Japanese attitude toward the United States. [11 Jun. 1907]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 13, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o56249.

APA:

Unknown., [1907, June 11]. A confidential letter about the Japanese attitude toward the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o56249.

Cite this Collection

Chicago:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 13, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.

APA:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.

Related Digital Library Records

Letter from James Franklin Bell to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from James Franklin Bell to Theodore Roosevelt

Army Chief of Staff Bell sends President Roosevelt a letter from a retired Army officer which he believes contains some boasting on the part of a Japanese officer, although he does not doubt that similar thoughts have occurred to “mighty nearly every Japanese official.” Although reports have not shown any preparations by the Japanese for conflict with the United States, they have been gathering intelligence on American military activities on the Pacific coast and in the Philippines, suggesting they view conflict with the United States as possible. Bell is pleased with the measures Roosevelt has taken to be prepared for “any eventuality in the Pacific Ocean,” except for Roosevelt’s suggestion of immediately abandoning Manila if Japan attacks. Bell notes it is a very serious thing to abandon a capital, and very difficult to pack up the archives and records of a government. Bell recommends fortifying the entrance to the Bay of Manila to dissuade the Japanese from taking the islands.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-18

A confidential letter about the Japanese attitude toward the United States

A confidential letter about the Japanese attitude toward the United States

A retired army officer, writing from France, reports confidentially on a conversation that occurred during a recent dinner with diplomats from England and Japan. A “man of some importance” from Japan described the expected ententes that will soon be formed among the French, English, Japanese, Russians, and perhaps the Germans. Once those alliances are in place, Japan will turn its attention to avenging the insults it has received from the United States. Japan will not only take the Philippine and Sandwich Islands, but will make a colony of California and the Pacific Coast. This is a typed copy of the handwritten original.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-11

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