What if the US Fleet had Sailed for Singapore in May 1940?
Posted: September 30th, 2015 | 3 Comments »An interesting possible alternative history of the naval war in the Pacific offers itself from Paul Willetts’s new book Rendezvous at the Russian Tea Rooms (which I will get round to reviewing in full in another place soon), about the Tyler Kent affair in early World War Two. I’ve blogged about the China-born Kent before here briefly.
Kent, working in the US Embassy in London in 1940, stole various private communiques between Churchill and Roosevelt. Churchill was obviously keen to solicit aid and possibly military involvement from the American president as continental Europe fell to the Nazis and Britain was left alone.
Among these communiques was one extremely TOP SECRET communique from May 1940 from Churchill to FDR. In it Churchill says:
“I am looking to you to keep that Japanese dog quiet in the Pacific, using Singapore in any way convenient.”
FDR replied:
“As you know, the American fleet is now concentrated at Hawaii where it will remain for the time being…The best of luck to you.”
So FDR didn’t take Churchill up on his offer to utilise Singapore for American naval vessels. But what if he had? Perhaps the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor would not have been so devastating? Perhaps the invasion of Singapore would have been delayed or averted? Impossible to know of course, but an interesting “what if?” of history I think…..
The troopship RMS Queen Mary in Singapore Graving Dock, August 1940
Just wanted to thank you for mentioning my book. Glad you found it interesting.
Funnily enough, my former editor at UK Penguin recommended “Midnight in Peking”, which I loved. Shame that British Penguin’s packaging of the book was so inferior to its American version.
In another odd connection, I met a young BBC employee, Jo Something-or-other, who is the lodger of my London-based friend, Virginia Ironside. Jo said that she knew you in Shanghai or, perhaps, Hong Kong. I forget which. Anyway, she sang you praises.
Very best wishes,
Paul
Loved the book and about to review for Thelifesentence.com crime/espionage books website. And yes, I do remember Josephine McDermott in Shanghai before she left to join the BBC. Hope the books sells by the boat load – certainly deserves to!!
I’m tremendously flattered that you so enjoyed Rendezvous at the Russian Tea Rooms and that you went to the trouble of reviewing it. You must think I’m very rude for taking two-and-a-half years to respond to your posting. I have an excuse, though: I’m so unfamiliar with the etiquette for these sort of blog sites that, when I left my comment and accompanying email address, I assumed you’d reply via the latter, so I never bothered to check the comments section beneath the entry about Rendezvous. I only stumbled across your lovely message yesterday afternoon when I was searching for your agent or other contact details. Consequently, by the time I looked for your review of Rendezvous on thelifesentence.com website, the entire site had been dismantled! Needless to say, I’d love to obtain a copy of the piece.
Following your example, I’ve since moved to an American publisher—Crown, an imprint of US Penguin Random House. Would you be interested in receiving bound proofs of my forthcoming book, which covers the sort of raffish interwar territory that might appeal to you? Details of the book are provided on the US Penguin website, accessible via the enclosed link.
By the way, your new book sounds fascinating. For a while I was quite obsessed by interwar Shanghai. D’you fancy doing a promo’ event for it next autumn at the London-based Sohemian Society, which attracts large and enthusiastic crowds to hear a line-up of excellent speakers. Past guests include Iain Sinclair, George Melly, and Jonathan Meades.
All the very best,
Paul Willetts
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/539846/king-con-by-paul-willetts/9780451495815/