American armed forces in China are there for the protection of American nationals, primarily against mobs or other uncontrollable elements. They have no mission of aggression. It has been the desire and the intention of the American Government to remove these forces when performance of their function of protection is no longer called for, and such remains its desire and expectation. Developments in China during the years immediately preceding the outbreak of the present hostilities between China and Japan afforded the Government of the United States reasonable expectation that the armed forces of this country might soon be withdrawn from China in an orderly way and to the advantage of this and other countries. The normal trend of events, however, was interrupted when fighting broke out and spread to various parts of China. There then rapidly developed a situation presenting serious hazard to the lives of American citizens in China. In the face of these increased dangers the Government of the United States did what it has always done, not only in the Far East but elsewhere, namely, it took all practicable measures to afford appropriate protection to American nationals. It advised American nationals to withdraw. It sent a regiment of Marines from San Diego to Shanghai. It ordered various vessels of the United States Asiatic Fleet, whose base is at Manila but which had been spending the summer months at the ports of Chefoo and Tsingtao, to remain in Chinese waters. The present number of American armed forces in China is as follows: Of this number approximately 1500 represent reenforcements sent to Shanghai as a result of and in order to cope with emergency problems occasioned by the present situation in the way of protecting American nationals. Two weeks ago, on December 10, the Navy Department orally informed press correspondents, in reply to inquiries, that the U. S. S. Chaumont, a naval transport, is going back to Shanghai in the course of its regular schedule; that the transport is due back at Shanghai about the end of January, and that at that time the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet will decide whether the situation then existing is such as to permit the withdrawal from Shanghai of the reenforcements which were sent there four months ago. The present number of United States naval vessels in oriental waters is shown on the enclosed copy of a statement furnished me by the Navy Department 62 containing information in regard to the position of ships on Asiatic station as of December 20. This includes the whole of our Asiatic Fleet. I am informed that the total personnel on all these ships comprises 4,884 naval officers and men and 167 Marines. Of the 43 vessels listed on the attached sheet only 14 are in Chinese waters and, as I have above stated, only 9, consisting of gunboats, are on duty exclusively in Chinese waters. The largest of the vessels of the United States Asiatic Fleet, the U. S. S. Augusta, a heavy cruiser, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, was a short time ago about to proceed to Manila. The expected departure of this vessel has been delayed by the recent bombing of the U. S. S. Panay and American merchant vessels in the Yangtze River. It is my understanding that the American military and naval forces in the Far East have sufficient supplies to maintain themselves for a comparatively short period, but, if you desire more detailed information in regard to military and naval supplies and equipment in the Far East, it is suggested that you address an inquiry on this subject to the Secretaries of War and the Navy. I note with interest that you are in accord with the warning given to American citizens to leave the areas affected by the present ChineseJapanese conflict. This Government and its officers in China have repeatedly and earnestly advised American citizens, in face of dangers incident to situations of danger, to withdraw, and in the present situation we are making every effort to provide safe means whereby they may depart. Furthermore, the Department of State is not for the present issuing passports valid for travel to and in China save in certain exceptional circumstances. Sincerely yours, CORDELL HULL 393.1115/2357: Telegram The Consul at Tsingtao (Sokobin) to the Secretary of State TSINGTAO, December 28, 1937-11 a. m. [Received December 29-7:07 p. m.] By commercial steamers there have departed from Tsingtao approximately 20 Americans since destruction of Japanese cotton mills on December 18. The U. S. S. Sacramento departed today for Shanghai with 27 Americans and dependents and probably 26 Americans will leave by commercial steamers tomorrow. There will then remain in the city of Tsingtao 159 Americans and in the Tsingtao Consular District outside the city 13 Americans, the latter all missionary "Not printed. families, or a total of 172 remaining in the entire Tsingtao Consular District. In the Tsinan Consular District this Consulate understands there are now approximately 110 Americans practically all missionaries. SOKOBIN 393.115 Ida Kahn Women's Hospital/7: Telegram The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State TOKYO, December 28, 1937-6 p. m. [Received December 28-9:30 a. m.] 692. Department's 332, December 7, 6 p. m.63 Ida Kahn Hospital. Reply now received states bombing was a mistake, expresses the sincere regret of the Government and states that "rigid instructions have been issued . . .65 to prevent the occurrence of such incidents". It concludes by requesting that American property in China be marked with flags and other markings of large size. No mention of indemnification. Repeated to Shanghai for relay to Johnson. Translation will go forward 63 in next pouch about January 7. GREW 793.94/11843: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Consul at Tsingtao (Sokobin) WASHINGTON, December 28, 1937-7 p. m. Your December 27, 4 p. m. On the assumption that it was your intention simply to indicate to the Senior Consul that the matter of Americans acting as "special constables" was one which you were not called upon to approve or disapprove, the Department feels that you might have added that although you were continuing to urge all Americans to withdraw from Tsingtao you of course would not wish to interpose any objection or obstacle to appropriate provisional measures which Americans and other foreigners who elected to remain in Tsingtao might find it desirable to adopt for their self-protection during a temporary period of emergency. Please repeat to Hankow and Peiping. 63 Not printed. 64 Dated December 22. 65 Omission indicated in the original telegram. HULL 393.1115/2345: Telegram The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State TOKYO, December 29, 1937-noon. [Received December 29-2:35 a. m.] 696. Following has been sent to Shanghai: "December 29, noon. Hankow's 102, December 23, 1 p. m. The Foreign Office states that the Navy Department has issued to forces in China instructions with regard to the second special train leaving Hankow December 30, 9 a. m. for Canton. Please rush relay to Hankow. Repeated to the Department." GREW 393.1164/220 The Consul at Foochow (Ward) to the Ambassador in China No. 13 (Johnson) 68 FOOCHOW, December 29, 1937. SIR: I have the honor to refer to this Consulate's despatch No. 12, dated December 16, 1937, on the subject of the projected removal of missionary schools from Foochow to the interior, and further in that connection to enclose a copy of a memorandum of a conversation between Bishop John Gowdy of the Methodist Episcopal Mission and myself on that subject.* The Embassy will not from the perusal of this memorandum that the Provincial Government here would now appear to have given up its immediate plan for the removal of schools from Foochow to the interior, in favor of one contemplating a rigorous course in propaganda activities which will employ higher middle school and college students from the close of the schools at the end of this term through the month of April, and in the course of which girls and boys alike will go into the villages of Foochow's hinterland to preach Chinese nationalism and the necessity for resistance to Japan to the peasantry of Northern Fukien. This change in the Government's plan brought to a sharp issue the question of the use of American missionary property for purely patriotic purposes by the Chinese administrations of the schools to 66 Not printed. 68 67 This train left as scheduled carrying 300 foreigners including 167 Americans. Copy transmitted to the Department by the Consul at Foochow in his despatch No. 16, December 29; received February 2, 1938. * See Enclosure No. 1. [Footnote in the original; enclosure not printed.] which the property had been loaned, the president of Hwa Nan College having been simply informed by the Government of its intention to use the school for the training of students in anti-Japanese propaganda. Copies of a letter from Bishop John Gowdy and its enclosure describing the situation are enclosed. The following day I received a further communication from the Bishop in the same general connection, informing me that from December 18 to December 21 two hundred members of the Peace Preservation Corps, who were holding manoeuvres in the vicinity of the Fukien Christian University, had used the dormitories of that university as provisional barracks. There is also enclosed a copy of this Consulate's reply to these communications.§ It seems clear to this Consulate that the closing by the Chinese administrations which run them of the schools and colleges which are now housed in American-owned properties in Foochow will greatly simplify the question of the protection of those properties by the Consulate in the event of a Japanese invasion of the Province. If, however, the properties vacated by the schools which they originally housed were to be turned over to the Chinese authorities to house propagandatraining groups or, worse still, members of militia or other armed bodies, the protection of those properties would become for all practical purposes absolutely impossible. The Consulate therefore intends to do everything it possibly can to prevent American properties from being so used, and will continue to keep the Embassy informed of the progress of its efforts. Respectfully yours, 793.003/888: Telegram ROBERT S. WARD The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew) WASHINGTON, December 30, 1937-3 p. m. 384. Shanghai's 1235, December 27, 2 p. m. The Department desires that, unless you perceive strong objection, on the occasion of your next call upon the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, you make reference casually and as upon your own initiative to reports of statements at a Japanese press conference at Shanghai on December 27 to the effect that Japanese authorities there assert that Japanese military law is applicable and will be applied to extraterritorial foreigners in certain relationships with the Japanese military; and that, without inquiring whether there is basis for this report and without in † See Enclosure No. 2. See Enclosure No. 3. § See Enclosure No. 4. [Footnote in the original; enclosure not printed.] [Footnote in the original; enclosure not printed.] [Footnote in the original; enclosure not printed.] |