793.94/9306: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 12—5 a.m.]
403. 1. I joined with my German, British, Italian and French colleagues in addressing notes of today’s date to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Ambassador. They were delivered about 9 o’clock this evening.
2. …
3. The first paragraph of the letter to the Japanese Ambassador was the same as above.23 The second paragraph read as follows:
“In an oral communication the Chinese authorities have already announced to some of the Embassies most interested their desire to avoid all hostilities in the Shanghai region. Prompted by the considerations mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, the Ambassadors most interested were, at the moment there was delivered to some of them the oral communication of the Chinese authorities indicating their desire to avoid all hostilities in the Shanghai region, preparing to approach simultaneously both the Chinese and the Japanese Governments on this subject. The undersigned diplomatic representatives, in the hope [Page 342] that the Japanese authorities will do all in their power to carry out effectively a plan to exclude the Shanghai area from the scope of any possible hostilities, now address this communication to Your Excellency. We should welcome any assurance to that effect which Your Excellency may feel able to give.”
Sent to Tokyo.
- First paragraph as follows: “In the midst of the general uneasiness occasioned by recent events in North China, we have been feeling increasing anxiety for the safety of our nationals and the welfare of the immense foreign commercial and shipping interests in Shanghai and its vicinity. You will agree that it would be deplorable if hostilities should unfortunately occur in that region precipitating inevitably a chain of events which would gravely endanger foreign life and property.” Quoted in telegram No. 390, Aug. 8, 1937, 1 p.m., from the Ambassador in China (793.94/9243).↩