France ceded the territory rather than engage in a hopeless fight, but only under pressure of- Japanese threats to use force to enact Tokyo's "mediation" plan, reliable sources said.
Practically, France gave in all along the line but theoretically the French refused all Thai demands directly and ceded only to Japan's "mediation" offer under.the menace of Japanese arms, That was the trend of the French official despatch sent to Tokyo on Saturday and also of despatches to Vice-Admiral Jean Decoux, Governor General of French Indo-China and Gen, Pierre Mordant, Commander-in-Chief of French forces in Indo-China, said authoritative sources, The French decision was taken after receipt of an official Japanese warning that it was the second and last compromise offer of Mr, Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese Foreign Minister, and that the offer would be enforced by arms if France declined to accept, authoritative sources said.
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