762.9411/54: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30—1 a.m.]
493. At his request I went to see the Minister for Foreign Affairs last evening and he stated that he wished me to inform you at the request [Page 158] of the Generalissimo that the Chinese Government, determined to continue its military resistance, was giving a close study to the political aspects of the situation created by the recently announced German-Japanese-Italian alliance by which Germany and Italy had recognized Japan’s claim to dominance in the Far East. [He] was anxious to know what concrete steps the United States proposed to take in the light of the above mentioned alliance. I informed him that I would be glad to transmit this inquiry but that I doubted whether the American Government would be prepared at this time to state just what concrete steps might be taken. I said that the policy of the United States Government had been clearly and consistently stated from time to time and that steps taken indicated that this policy was being consistently pursued.
I referred to the Secretary’s quoted statement5 (Bulletin No. 230) in regard to Tripartite Alliance and said that I was sure that American authorities had and would take all foreseeable conditions and developments into consideration in implementing the Government’s policy but that it would be difficult for the Government at any one moment to state what steps might be taken in the future. He appreciated this but desired that I transmit the request as coming from the Generalissimo and I said that I would. I referred to his conversation reported in my 481, September 24, 2 p.m., and stated that the steps taken by the American Government in the light of the situation then developing, while they could hardly have been announced beforehand, when taken appeared to be logical and consistent with announced policy. The Minister of Foreign Affairs then asked whether the American Government knew the reaction of the Chinese Government and people to these steps and I said that we had reported the reactions as described in local press.
He asked me to make a special point of saying to you that the Chinese Government and the people of China were very grateful indeed for the steps which the American Government had taken.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs then stated that the Generalissimo had especially asked him to ask me to pass on to you his view that Japan would now proceed speedily to pursue a southern advance and that almost at once Japan would make an attack on Singapore. I stated that I would communicate this and added that I felt certain that this was one of the developments which had been taken into consideration by the American Government in following the policy which it was following.
In conclusion the Minister for Foreign Affairs asked me to inform you China has formally requested the British Government to reopen the Burma Road.
[Page 159]Sent to the Department. Repeated to Peiping. Peiping repeat to Tokyo.
- Dated September 27, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 169.↩