Posted 5 years ago
docnoc
(22 items)
Hi Folks -> "Black Friday Special" found this very nice USA consular issue Berlin 1913 for an Emma S. Giles traveling to Russia on a personal visit. What's interesting besides the wonderful Russian imperial revenue stamps is that the document is signed by future Ambassador Joseph C. Grew - the US Ambassador to Japan at the time of Pearl Harbor Raid! As per the Wikipedia - Grew was the Ambassador to Denmark (1920–1921) and Ambassador to Switzerland (1921–1924). In 1924, Grew became the Under Secretary of State, and in this position he oversaw the establishment of the U.S. Foreign Service. Grew was the Ambassador to Turkey (1927–1932) and the Ambassador to Japan beginning in 1932. He was the American ambassador in Tokyo at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) and the opening of war between the United States and the Japanese Empire. On January 27, 1941, Grew secretly cabled the United States with information gathered from Ricardo Rivera Screiber, Peruvian Minister to Japan, that "Japan military forces planned a surprise mass attack at Pearl Harbor in case of 'trouble' with the United States," information that was declassified twelve years late. Grew's account said, "There is a lot of talk around town to the effect that the Japanese in case of a break with the United States, are planning to go all out in a surprise mass attack on Pearl Harbour. Of course I informed our Government".
Grew's report was provided to Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, and Admiral Husband Kimmel, Commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, but it was discounted by both.
Ambassador Grew was interned for nine months by the Japanese government, but he was released to return to the United States in July 1942.
With respect to this document, he was an Aide to Ambassador James W. Gerard in Berlin at the time this document was issued. Ambassador Gerard stayed in Berlin until January 1917 when Germany broke off relations with the USA. According to the Wikipedia, Gerard once said in a speech: "The Foreign Minister of Germany once said to me 'your country does not dare do anything against Germany, because we have in your country five hundred thousand Germans reservists [emigrants] who will rise in arms against your government if you dare to make a move against Germany.' Well, I told him that that might be so, but that we had five hundred thousand – and one – lamp posts in this country, and that that was where the reservists would be hanging the day after they tried to rise." Nice document...Enjoy.
And Pearl is still billed as a "surprise attack".
BB2 - we know the US ignored the imminent danger and provoked the Japanese by cutting off their oil supply.
Yeah, that oil thing T'd them off a bit. The whole thing was politcal. What else is new!?. 1
BB2 - just purchase an exceptionally rare commonwealth of Puerto Rico USA pp ca. 1931 signed by the governor general of Puerto Rico - Ted Roosevelt Jr. , a Brigadier Gen USA army landing on Omaha Beach - winner of CMH on that day. Will post soon.