21 Feb. 1946 A. If you mean by that was the commission composed of Germans, Italians, and Japanese, to meet in each of the three capitals, respectively, and that there would be three separate joint commissions - that is correct. There was no overall single commission made up of all three of these commissions. While this organizational set-up existed in so far as the actual activities of the commission go, there was never an instance before the United States - Japan War, or after, that members of the respective divisions met with each other: that is to say, the Military with the Military, or the Economic with the Economic, etc. I believe that not more than three or four meetings of all the members together took place in Berlin. In this regard I wish to point out that Japan was particularly interested in having a Military commission in Germany to ascertain in case of a United States-German conflict whether Germany had been actually attacked or not. The Navy in particular was very interested on that point. Q. Now, General, earlier today we were talking about these meetings with Hitler and you told us that you had a meeting with him that was occasioned by the fact that Hitler was contemplating attacking Russia. Now, can you tell us the substance of what took place at that meeting and what was said? A. No detailed discussion was carried on, but Hitler who did most of the talking said that he felt that if Germany waited much longer there would be a danger of an attack by the Russians, and, hence he felt that it would shortly be necessary to attack. I asked him if I could convey this statement to the Japanese Government and he acceded. Further, Hitler made no statements in regard to how long he thought the Russian expedition would take. Later on in my narrative there are some matters relative to this which come up again. 4 Q. Just one question: that was not the first time you heard that Hitler contemplated attacking Russia, was it? A. A definite knowledge of the fact - for the first time. However, before that I had heard other things of which I had been intending to tell you. Q. Can you tell us about when this meeting took place with Hitler? About how long before the attack was made? A. Very early in June, about two weeks prior to the attack on Russia, although I am not absolutely certain of the date. In any case he did not state when the attack would start. Q. How long before that was it that you heard of this possibility from some other sources? A. Although I have it down in my notes and intend to speak to you fully about the matter of German- Soviet relations, to give you an overall picture now I can say that when MATSUOKA was in Berlin we discussed a changing trend in these relations. It was around the middle of May, I believe, that a certain Hungarian newspaperman brought a report to one of my staff that it looked very much as if Germany would attack Russia in the near future. Q. Then we will have further details about this from you when we come to that part in your narrative? A. Yes. 4 OSHIMA did report on this to the Japanese Government and, since the U.S. was able to read their coded messages, the United States knew on June 6 that the Invasion of Russia by Germany was about to take place. This happened on June 22, 1941. Note the reason Hitler gives for attacking Russia. One wonders why he would have done such a stupid thing given the disaster with Napoleon. Well, here he tells why. 128