Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

173 Commonwealth Government to Lord Cranborne, U.K. Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

Cablegram 777 CANBERRA, 8 December 1941

PRIORITY SECRET

Have just received cablegram from Australian Minister, Washington, which reads:-

'No. 1094. [1] Repeated to London 162.

Secretary of State [2] has now telephoned British Ambassador [3] that in view of declaration of war by Japan against U.S.A. there is no need for the President [4] to seek a declaration of war by Congress although he will probably send Congress a message tomorrow. Casey.' Please inform us by most immediate cablegram course United Kingdom Government proposes to take. [5]

We have declared war with Finland, Hungary and Roumania as from 5 p.m. December 8th (today).

1 The Washington copy of this cablegram (on file AA:A3300, 100) was numbered 1099.

2 Cordell Hull.

3 Lord Halifax.

4 Franklin D. Roosevelt.

5 See Cranborne's cablegram G78 of 8 December (on file AA:A981, War 53A) which communicated to the Commonwealth Govt the text of the U.K. Govt's declaration of war against Japan.

[AA:A1608, M41/1/1]

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