June 22, 1941 Outbreak of war between Germany and the Soviet Union. “Memorandum from the German Ambassador Residing in Tokyo: Temporary Translation” (1 page) (Offered by the Diplomatic Museum at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) On Sunday, June 22 1941, Germany invades the Soviet Union. Japan finds itself in a difficult situation with its ally Germany breaking the Nonaggression Pact by attacking the Soviet Union, a country to which Japan is also bound through the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. Document 1: B02032409600 1. Outbreak of War between Germany and the Soviet Union, including the Memorandum of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Soviet Union / 1 From May 9, 1941 to June 22, 1941 (Images 20 to 23) “Memorandum from the German Ambassador Residing in Tokyo: Temporary Translation” Document 2: B02032409600 1. Outbreak of War between Germany and the Soviet Union, including the Memorandum of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Soviet Union / 1 From May 9, 1941 to June 22, 1941 (Images 24 to 29) “June 22, Outline of intimation from German Foreign Minister to the Soviet Ambassador: Temporary Translation” Document 3: B02030517300 1. Foreign Ministry Proposal regarding handling of the China incident / 42) Judgment and measure of International situation in the case of Outbreak of War between Germany and the Soviet Union (Copy to A.7.0.0.8-37) (Images 5 to 7) Judgment and Measure of International Situation in the case of Outbreak of War between Germany and the Soviet Union (1941, 6, 23) On June 22, 1941 Germany broke its Non-Aggression Pact with the Soviet Union (signed in August 1939) and launched an assault on the Soviet Union. Document 1 The day of the German assault, Otto, the German ambassador to Japan, spoke to Foreign Minister Matsuoka, informing him of the news. This document is a translation of the summary of Otto’s message to the Foreign Minister (prepared by the Second Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Europe and Asia Bureau) Document 2 is a summary of the communiqué given by German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop to the Soviet ambassador at the time of the German assault on the Soviet Union (prepared by the Second Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Europe and Asia Bureau). Document 3, which is dated the day following the outbreak of hostilities, contains the Foreign Ministry analysis of the state of affairs and describes a number of pressing issues. As a result of the outbreak of war between Germany and the Soviet Union, whether it was possible cooperation would occur between Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union and the Chongqing (Kuomintang) Nationalist Government, or whether the Soviet involvement in the war would mean reduced aid to the Chongqing (Kuomintang) Nationalist Government and the possibility that the Chinese might extend the olive branch to Japan. Whether Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union might make concessions to Japan to encourage it to break from the Axis alliance, and would the United States, based on its increasing aid to Great Britain, enter the war, or on the other hand was there the possibility of approaching cooperation between Germany and Great Britain.