From: Rome (?)
To:   Tokyo
31 January 1942
(Purple)
 
#092
 
                         From Oshima.
 
                         On the 29th I had an interview with Goering who had come
to Rome unexpectedly in connection with his inspection of the German Air Force stationed in
Italy.  The gist of our conversation follows:
 
                         First Goering expressed his admiration over the success of
Japanese landing operations at the various points in the South Pacific area and over the progress
fo the Japanese attack on the Malay peninsula and in Burma.  He offered his congratulations on
this and then went on to say:
 
          "I have studied the matter of landing operations for many years and have even
drawn up a memorandum regarding the qualifications of the ship that is to make the first attempt
at landing operations.  However, I should consider it a great pleasure if Japan would be so kind as
to instruct me in their method of conducting these operations.  Of course, if there is anything that
Germany can tell Japan from her experience in the war I shall be most happy to tell you anything
whatever.  As for myself, I have been making preparations for war as Commander of the Air
Force, however, I feel that I have made a great mistake in not giving more study to the matter of
launching aerial torpedoes.  In view of Japan's brilliant success at Hawaii and the Malay Gulf, I
am devoting myself more earnestly to this study.  However, it would be impossivble to contrive
anything more successful than the Japanese method of launching aerial torpedoes.  If Japan has
any new invention along this line she should most certainly tell us.
     
                    2.  "The fortunes of war in the Mediterranean area have changed
with the strengthening of the German Air Force and the dispatch of submarines to that section. 
However, we intend to go on and take the initiative and put the pressure on the British Army.  As
a matter of fact the object of my coming here was to carry out that purpose.
                          " There are various rumors regarding the Russian Campaign. 
However, the real enemy of the Germany Army is not the Russians but the cold.  Because of this
it has been necessary to contract the front battle line and this has absolutely nothing to do with the
progress of the campaign.  In the Spring we will take the offensive again and in am absolutely
certain that then we can deliver a knockout blow.  In spite of the fact that the enemy campaign
has dragged out into a rather long
 
JD-2: 891      (continued)        (H) Navy Trans. 2-2-42 (M-TT)