793.94/9341: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, August 13, 1937—7
p.m.
[Received August 13—11:50 a.m.]
[Received August 13—11:50 a.m.]
263. Department’s 142, August 9, 7 p.m.,92 Shanghai situation.
- 1.
- I have received from Nanking the texts of the two communications as signed and delivered.
- 2.
- My Italian and German colleagues have not yet received instructions to act. They will inform me if and when such instructions come.
- 3.
- My French colleague this morning received authorization to support action if taken by the British Chargé d’Affaires and myself. He will do so in that event but is averse to making representations here on the ground that it is now too late to influence Japanese action in Shanghai.
- 4.
- The British Chargé d’Affaires this morning received mandatory instructions to urge the Japanese Government (1) not to use Shanghai as a base for hostilities and (2) not to land further forces there. He called on the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon ostensibly to inquire concerning the situation and brought up these two points incidentally. The Vice Minister replied that the Japanese desired to avoid hostilities and that if the Chinese forces would withdraw the Japanese forces would likewise withdraw to their original positions and that some of these forces would withdraw from Shanghai altogether. He said that Hidaka would today inform the concerned ambassadors in Nanking to this effect.
- 5.
- While most deeply appreciating the critical situation in Shanghai I reluctantly share the views of most of my colleagues here that (1) representations by the concerned ambassadors in Tokyo to the Japanese Government would have no preventative effect and (2) that such representations even though made separately unless very carefully handled would risk provoking an anti-foreign outburst in the Japanese press which would tend to inflame the already bitter feeling engendered by the assassination of the Japanese naval officer in Shanghai. The Cabinet this morning decided “to take all measures to protect Japanese lives and property in Shanghai”.
- 6.
- I am nevertheless prepared to act with careful discretion on the Department’s authorization provided that my concerned colleagues eventually take similar action.
Repeated to Nanking.
Grew