751G.94/172: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 27—8:52 a.m.]
486. My 481, September 24, 2 p.m. In course of a conversation last evening on general subjects Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that while Chinese Government both at Vichy and at Hanoi had on several occasions offered to join French in resisting Japanese encroachment in Indochina French had vacillated between agreement and refusal as crises in discussions between them and Japanese occurred. He stated that the final word from the French in Indochina was that if the Chinese entered Indochina French would have to resist them and Chinese might find French cooperating with the Japanese. It is my belief that Chinese will not send troops into Indochina. Chief danger from Japanese in Indochina will be air attacks on strategic bridges on Burma Highway and factories in the Yunnan District.
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Peiping and Hanoi. Peiping repeat to Tokyo. Code text to Kunming.