793.94/7524: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
223. [Here follows brief news report of probable appointments in North China.]
The departure last night from Peiping of Ho Ying-chin as well as the departure of those who came north to assist him in negotiations indicates that the North China settlement is completed insofar as Nanking is concerned. The situation is now primarily, as far as the Chinese are concerned, in the hands of Sung Che-yuan and his adherents. They are strengthened by the impending departure of Shang Chen and his troops from Hopei and by the new appointments. The most influential man in the group appears to be Hsiao Chenying because of his close relations with the Japanese, his successful surrounding of Sung with his own men, and his new appointment. He faces three dangers, the mistrust of the Japanese, the dislike and suspicion of Sung’s military followers, and the next phase of the Japanese program whatever that may be.
- 2.
- The questions of the degree of autonomy of the new Council and of the span of its existence still depends on the definition of its powers and the attitude of the Japanese military. Regulations governing the functions of the Council have not yet been made public.
- 3.
- The advance into Chahar of “Manchukuo” troops appears to be for the purpose on the part of the Japanese military of turning over at least Eastern Chahar to the nominal control of certain Mongols. A Mongol leader near Dolonor was told some weeks ago by the Dolonor office of the Kwantung Army (according to the Mongol concerned) that the Japanese would take for, and hand over to him, for administration, the six hsien northeast of Kalgan. It seems probable that Sung’s influence in Chahar will eventually be confined to the small area south of the Great Wall and that the area north of the Wall will be controlled by the Japanese military through manipulation of the Mongols.
Repeated to Nanking and Tokyo.
- Telegram in two sections.↩