793.94/11661: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 16—8:45 a.m.]
295. In a talk today with the Chief of the Far Eastern Section of the Foreign Office it appeared that the German position respecting China and Japan and indeed her attitude toward various phases of the Far Eastern situation, which was described in detail in Embassy’s 202, August 26, 8 p.m., had undergone no substantial change.
He states that while Germany’s general interests in China were of the same character as those of the other Western Powers and while she was greatly concerned regarding them, Germany nevertheless possessing no extraterritorial rights and not being parties to the Boxer protocols32 she was naturally not brought into the exchanges of views taking place between the powers which presumably were based on common special rights and privileges in China.
He denied press report (Embassy’s 266, November 5, 8 p.m.) concerning German mediation moves by stating that Germany had not made any move whatsoever in respect of mediation between the two parties. He believed that such rumors had originated because of a conversation which had taken place between the German Ambassador to China and Chiang Kai Shek which had to do, as he understood it, solely with the situation at that time respecting Nanking, the Marshal having suggested to the Ambassador that he take steps with the Japanese to “save the city”.
With reference to other accounts that Russia had entered into a “pact of assistance” with China he stated that according to his information this was not true. He felt in any event that such an arrangement would have but little practical value in respect of the furnishing of munitions as due to the physical difficulties involved Russian aid to China in that regard could be but negligible.