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namely the protection of our Pacific flank while we turn
our attention to the Atlantic.  Those officers are of the
belief that the Japanese Government is not in position
to agree to the evacuation of China by Japanese armed
forces;  that any guarantees which might be given by the
Japanese Government in this regard or in regard to further
expansion southward, short of immediate withdrawal of
troops, would not be effective as a real protection of
out interests;  that any accord at the present time would
constitute an attempt at appeasement, with all of the
current implications of the term, and would, with costly
consequence, fail.