NAVAL MESSAGE
                       (NAVY DEPARTMENT)
 
 
From COMMANDER SQUADRON 40-T  To THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATION
 
Date MARCH, 1940
 
 
I WILL NOW OUTLINE, MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, THE DISCUSSION WITH
 
CHANCELLOR HITLER IN BERLIN ON MARCH 4TH. THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR
 
THE DISCUSSION WITH CHANCELLOR HITLER MADE BY FOREIGN MINISTER
 
VON RIBBENTROP WITH WHOM I HAD VISITED ON 29 FEBRUARY, BEFORE 
 
PROCEEDING TO THE OUTLINE OF THE DISCUSSION WITH CHANCELLOR HITLER
 
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU A FEW DETAILS ABOUT MY RECEPTION BY 
 
THE CHANCELLOR BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME BACK-
 
GROUND AS TO THE BASIS ON WHICH I PRESENTED MYSELF TO THE GERMAN
 
GOVERNMENT AND IN TURN THE RESPONSE THAT WAS MADE. SHORTLY AFTER
 
MY ARRIVAL IN BERLIN I SENT THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO THE CHANCELLOR
 
QUOTE I NEED HARDLY INFORM YOU MR CHANCELLOR THAT THE HUMAN AND
 
ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THE PRESENT WAR ARE TERRIBLY DISTURBING
 
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD. THE  PEOPLE IN MY OWN COUNTRY
 
FEEL THAT THE WAR CAN END ONLY IN DISASTER FOR EUROPE AND THAT
 
THE WAR WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCIES IN
 
AMERICA, I KNOW THAT THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE AND THEIR INNER