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"British sloop Grimsby at Tangku has taken aboard at least one American stopped there on train from Peitaiho which could not proceed further."

2. Department assumes that Tientsin sent identic telegram to you and that you will take matter up with American naval authorities there." If you wish Department to approach Navy Department here, please radio to that effect.

HULL

793.94/9119a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)

WASHINGTON, August 2, 1937-noon. 125. Please telegraph immediately your estimate of probability of extension of military operations to points south of Peiping and Tientsin where American nationals are located; also, your thought on the subject of the possible advisability of advising to our nationals evacuation from points likely to be involved of women and children.

HULL

793.94/9132: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

NANKING, August 2, 1937-2 p. m. [Received 7:50 p. m.]

354. 1. Following from Tsinanfu: 28

"August 1, 4 p. m. Since the entrance into Shantung of Central Government troops as reported in my July 31, 8 p. m., the local situation has become serious. A large number of Chinese have attempted to leave the city and it has been necessary to turn many of

them back.

The Japanese Consul General stated in conversation this afternoon that he had not yet given up hope of a peaceful settlement but that it was necessary to prepare for the worst. Many of the official records of the Japanese are being sent to Tsingtao and only approximately 650 Japanese are still in the city. The Consul General further stated that he had heard this morning that Central Government troops had arrived in Tsinanfu today and that if such troops are stationed here in the province it was deemed a cause for Japanese troops to come in. He mentioned an unconfirmed report that Han Fu Chu 29 left here for the south yesterday to meet General Pai Chunghsi.30 He gave it as his private opinion that foreign women and children should leave Tsinanfu.

"The Ambassador reported in telegram No. 350, July 31, 6 p. m., that the U. S. S. Tulsa had been ordered to Peitaiho (793.94/9115).

28 From John M. Allison, Consul at Tsinan.

W Chairman of the Shantung Provincial Government.

29

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Unless I am instructed to the contrary I intend to urge American women and children at interior points to go to Tsingtao or Tsinanfu and I shall advise same in this city to be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice."

2. Embassy has replied:

"August 2, 11 a. m. Your August 1, 4 p. m. I approve of steps which you have already taken. Embassy appreciates your constant efforts to keep it already [always?] advised of local situation."

3. Tokyo being informed.

JOHNSON

793.94/9313

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) of a Conversation With the Counselor of the Japanese Embassy (Suma)

[WASHINGTON,] August 3, 1937.

Mr. Suma called at his own request at 12: 15 today.

Mr. Suma said that, with regard to the incident of the two American ladies at Peiping, his Embassy had received word this morning direct from Peiping that an officer of the Embassy there had now expressed regret to an officer of the American Embassy. He inquired whether we had had any report. I said that we had not. He said that he thought that we would receive one.

Mr. Suma then said that a representative of an American film company had come to his Embassy yesterday about one of the representatives of the company who had been detained in Peiping by Japanese (Mr. Suma said "our people"). He said that the Embassy had sent an inquiry to Tokyo and that Tokyo had replied that they were looking into the matter. Mr. Suma inquired whether we had had word of this incident. I replied that we had been informed yesterday that an American engaged in photographing, together with his wife, had been detained by Japanese and that we had sent an inquiry to Peiping but had not yet received an answer. Mr. Suma said that he thought the matter would be taken care of appropriately.

Mr. Suma then said that, with regard to the incident of an unfortunate contact between Japanese soldiers and the French soldiers at the bridge at Tientsin, the Japanese military authorities had made appropriate expression of regret to the French military authorities and the matter was settled.

Mr. Suma then said that, with regard to the incident in which the Soviet Consulate at Tientsin had been raided "by some of our people" (sic) and some of their archives "taken", the newspapers had reported

that this might lead to serious trouble between Japan and the Soviet Union; but that this was not true, the matter had already been settled amicably.

Mr. Suma then inquired whether we had had reports of any other unfortunate incidents. I said that we had not; but that we had had reports to the effect that some Japanese are alleging that Chinese military refugees have made their way into the French and the British Concessions at Tientsin. I said that this was unbelievable on its face; that it was our understanding that the British and the French armed detachments are preventing the entry of any Chinese refugees into their Concessions; that all accounts have stated that thousands of refugees were turned back on Saturday and that something like 40,000 refugees had gone around to the former German Concession area and, on pressing on a region which the American troops are guarding, were being refused entry there. I said that it would be very unfortunate for all concerned if Japanese troops made hostile contact with or any hostile moves against the foreign troops, who are simply protecting their own nationals in small areas which cannot possibly serve any military purpose. Mr. Suma said that such a development would certainly be most unfortunate and that he knew that the Japanese were trying to prevent any such thing. He said that the Japanese Embassy here is constantly warning against there being permitted to occur any unfortunate incidents involving American or other foreign nationals, and that his Government seems to be taking his Embassy's representations in good part.

Mr. Suma said that there was a matter which he would like to bring up informally: he had seen in the newspapers a story to the effect that at Los Angeles a certain man who had been an aviation adviser to Chiang Kai-shek was talking of recruiting American fliers for service in China; the paper had given the figure 182; the Japanese Consul General at Los Angeles had reported to the Embassy that the "atmosphere in Los Angeles seemed to be opposed to this" project but that the promoter seemed to be going ahead with it; Mr. Suma asked whether we had received any information about it. I replied that I had seen in the press the story to which Mr. Suma referred but that I had no other information.31 Mr. Suma then went on to say that the going of American aviators to serve in Chinese military forces would have a very unpleasant effect upon Japanese public opinion. He mentioned the incident of an American flier who took part in operations at the time of the Shanghai incident in 1932.32 He said that this had created "heat" among the Japanese people. He spoke at some length on this subject in a way which indicated that

31 For information on American aviators in China, see pp. 520 ff.

32

See Foreign Relations, 1932, vol. I, pp. 451 ff.

he was very solicitous that American fliers should not go to China. He asked whether, if the report proved true, the State Department would take any action. He wanted an expression of my personal opinion. I replied that I could not venture to say what the Department might do and that in any case action, if taken, would presumably be by some other agency of the Government than the Department of State. Mr. Suma said that he was speaking only informally but that he thought the matter was of importance.

Mr. Suma then said that he hoped that we would keep him promptly and fully informed if we get news of any incidents. I said that I would be glad to do so.

S[TANLEY] K. H[ORNBECK]

793.94/9168: Telegram

The Consul General at Hankow (Josselyn) to the Secretary of State

HANKOW, August 4, 1937-10 a. m. [Received August 4-5 a. m.]

1. The following joint letter dated August 3 has been sent to Chairman of Hupeh Province and Japanese Acting Consul General respectively. Letter was signed by Consuls General for Germany, United States of America and Great Britain and Consuls for France and Italy.

"In view of the state of tension now unfortunately existing in Hankow, we, the undersigned, have the honor to invite your attention to the tax on our nationals here in respect to their lives, property and shipping. We express the earnest hope that due regard will be given by the authorities concerned to these interests in the present situation."

2. Letter dated August 3 sent by Senior Consul on behalf of consular officers mentioned in paragraph 1 to Dean of the Diplomatic Body, Nanking, describing local situation and expressing hope that means may be devised by Diplomatic Body to avoid hostilities. Letter concludes as follows: "Should diplomatic representations prove of no avail we would nevertheless be greatly obliged if the Ambassadors could obtain assurance from both sides that if possible notice should be given to the Hankow Consuls in time to ensure that they should be able to give due warning to their nationals." Copies by mail.33

3. Sent to Nanking, repeated to Department and Peiping.

JOSSELYN

33 Not printed.

793.94/9178: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

NANKING, August 4, 1937-11 a. m. [Received 3:30 p. m.]

366. Department's 125, August 3 [2], noon. I am not convinced that Chinese Government intends or plans to take any aggressive action against Japanese forces in North China or elsewhere. Indications lead me to believe that Chinese will fight rear guard actions wherever advancing Japanese forces come into contact with Chinese armed forces no matter where those may be. See in this connection my 347, July 31, noon, as well as my 343, July 30, 2 a. m.35 Thus initiative rests and remains with the Japanese whose immediate plans are still obscure. Under these circumstances it has not seemed to me necessary that steps should be taken to evacuate Americans generally as we have no means of discovering where hostilities may take place and ordinary concentration points might be more dangerous than interior points from which they might be evacuated. Embassy is endeavoring to keep Consuls currently informed in order that each office may be forewarned of possible dangers and take necessary and customary measures to get Americans to places of safety. At the moment, many Americans from the interior are at customary summer resorts. Time may soon come when it may be advisable for various reasons to suggest that they remain temporarily at those places rather than return to areas which we can identify as danger

zones.

There is no anti-foreign feeling evident. Embassy believes that Americans should not be more likely to suffer damage or danger in areas of conflict than occurred in Manchuria in 1931. The Embassy is watching situation narrowly from day to day and will cooperate with Consulates should further steps be deemed necessary. JOHNSON

793.94/9156: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary

of State

PEIPING, August 4, 1937-noon. [Received August 4-6 a. m.]

373. Embassy here has repeated to Hankow by radio dated August 4, 11 a. m., the first sentence of Tientsin's 11, August 3, 3 p. m., and all of Tientsin's 12, August 3, 4 p. m.,37 with the following statement.

34 Vol. III, p. 306.
35 Ibid., p. 298.
30 Ibid., p. 316.
"Not printed.

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