One day last week Yakichiro Suma, the positive little spokesman of Japan's Foreign Office, told newspapermen that relations with Russia were very nice, thank you. "For the moment," he admitted, "a non-aggression pact is not a part of our program." Two days later Russia and Japan were on the verge of war.
First reports of difficulties came from Nomonhan, on the Manchukuo-Outer Mongolian border, scene of severe fighting last summer. Observers told of troop and supply trains being rushed to the old front. Fighting was reported, then denied by Japan.
Not denied, but officially confirmed by the Japanese War Office, was...
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