The Axis Divides the World

The Tokyo newspaper Kokumin last week had some harsh words to say about the "fickle, indiscreet Japanese" who give away their plans and allow other nations to prepare against them. Germany, said Kokumin, "remains a sphinx and acts unexpectedly with lightning speed." By coincidence, only three days earlier the Japan Times and Advertiser, English-language organ of the Foreign Office, had published an "abstract exploration for a possible world peace" which was either a pipe dream of the future or the frankest, completest and grimmest Fascist plan to date for the New World Order.

Together with Germany's published propaganda dividing the world into four economic areas (see map), the "abstract" made one thing clear: Germany and Japan do their diplomatic thinking along deadly parallels. But whereas Germany's appeasement feeler was designed to convince unanalytical U.S. citizens of its reasonableness, no matter what its intent, Japan's was a blunt invitation to the U.S. to abdicate as a great power. The plan:

Europe. "The whole of continental Europe would be a corporate State under the Reich. . . . The United Kingdom would remain the heart of the British Empire, but it may be considered necessary by Empire people gradually to transfer various phases of authority to Canada as a more secure and aloof base." In other words, the British Isles would become a colony lying athwart Hitler's Europe.

Africa. "The whole of North Africa from the Strait of Gibraltar to Somaliland would be at the disposition of the Axis. . . . Certain British and other African colonies on the east and west coasts would come under German and Italian control. The Union of South Africa might be required to secure complete independence."

The Near East. "At what line in the southeast Germany would suspend its influence is problematical. . . . Equal access to the oil wells of Iraq and Iran would be an inevitable demand."

The Far East. "The whole Dutch East Indies might be detached from Holland and placed under its own , independent system of government, in which native peoples would have equal representation. . . . French Indo-China also would be offered independence. . . . India's future would be for self-government. . . .

"Great Britain's island and peninsula possessions would grant increasing powers of self-government. Throughout all these Pacific islands there would be admitted Japanese advisers. . . . Australia would eliminate discriminatory legislation on immigration, permitting Japanese equality of settlement. ..."

The Americas. "In the United States the sphere of influence would be Canada, Central and South America, Newfoundland and Greenland, with the islands in regional waters, but there would be an undertaking on America's part not to form a hegemony in South America against the Axis. Indeed, there would be required the fullest freedom and equality of opportunity for Germany and its allies. . . ."

The Power. "The nations to whom should belong the right of settling the course of peace would be Germany with Italy as a junior partner, Japan, the British Empire, the Soviet Union and the United States of America." The plan then proceeded to demand naval parity for the Tokyo-Berlin-Rome Axis against the U.S. and Great Britain. Further to reduce the naval power of the U.S. and Britain, the plan demanded the demilitarization of Malta, Aden, Singapore, Hong Kong; complete withdrawal of the British Navy from the Mediterranean; the withdrawal of the U.S. to Hawaii--"and even that stronghold reduced in importance."

The World that the Japanese plan would create is one in which the Axis would have equal rights in Anglo-U.S.-dominated regions, Britain and the U.S. no rights in Axis-dominated regions. The English-speaking nations would surrender their one potent weapon: naval superiority. In such a world the British Empire would no longer exist. In such a world the U.S. would be isolated in North America. In such a world, the U.S. would enjoy a whole bellyful of isolationism; as a great nation it would be isolated out of existence.

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