793.94/8989: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
Peiping, July 26, 1937—10
p.m.
[Received July 26—2:05 p.m.]
[Received July 26—2:05 p.m.]
300. Embassy’s 297, July 26, 6 p.m.
- 1.
- According to a Japanese closely associated with the Japanese military, three Japanese officers presented this afternoon to the Mayor of Peiping and other Chinese officials two demands: (a) the troops of the 37th Division in the Papaoshan and Marco Polo Bridge area must withdraw to west of the Yungting River by noon tomorrow and, (b) the troops of the 37th Division in Peiping and at Hsiyuan must similarly withdraw by noon of July 28.
- 2.
- A secretary of the Japanese Embassy states that the two demands presented this afternoon are (a) troops of the 37th Division inside Peiping must withdraw by noon tomorrow to Changhsintien, west of the Yungting River on the Peiping-Hankow Railway and (b) troops of that division at Hsiyuan and vicinity must withdraw to west of the Yungting River by noon July 28th.
- 3.
- The Secretary of the Japanese Embassy stated at 8:30 this evening that word had been received from the Japanese military headquarters that Embassies should warn their nationals residing in the Western Hills to withdraw presumably because the Japanese anticipate driving the 37th Division out in case it refuses to obey the ultimatum.
- 4.
- It is impossible to tell from Chinese officials whether the ultimatum will be rejected. The Mayor of Peiping is reliably reported to have stated yesterday afternoon that the 37th Division does not intend to withdraw.
Fighting broke out about 7 this evening at Changyimen which is the gate in the West Wall of Peiping from which goes the road to Wanpinghsien. Japanese troops allegedly numbering four or five hundred according to one Japanese source attempted to enter and were refused. Fighting ensued for more than an hour and it is understood that the question of entry is now being negotiated. Repeated to Nanking, Shanghai and Tokyo.
Lockhart