Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, The Far East, Volume IV

893.24/758: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Chungking, June 24, 1940—9 a.m.
[Received 1:35 p.m.]

290. My 289, June 23, 1 p.m.⁶² General Chiang first attempted to elicit my views on various phases of the European war and then to review what reactions to those developments I thought was [likely?] in the Far East. I answered that it might logically be inferred that the Japanese demand on France to closing of the transportation routes through Indochina was the result of the capitulation of France to Germany—he concurred and then introducing the more formal portion of the interview he said that in asking me to call he had two subjects to discuss. The first was to inform me that he had sent T. V. Soong⁶³ to the United States with a personal letter from General Chiang to the President.⁶⁴ He asked that I report this and communicate his hope that the President would accord Soong an opportunity to present the letter and confer with him.

2. General Chiang said the second subject was the action of the French in closing transportation routes through Indochina not only to munitions but to other categories of freight. He asserted that China had with France a treaty⁶⁵ that specifically granted China the right to import munitions through Indochina, but that China out of consideration for France’s difficulties had found other channels for the importation of munitions of war and had used the Indochina route for other commodities. However, now that the French Government had yielded to the demands of Japan and had forbidden the transportation through this area of all articles purchased by the Chinese Government and had even consented, as he was informed, to the stationing of 20 Japanese inspectors in Indochina to enforce these demands, the Chinese Government had addressed or intended to address a note to the Government of Indochina demanding the restoration to China of all rights granted by treaty. He asked my view regarding this step. I replied that I felt that he was clearly entitled to claim implementation of treaty stipulations bearing on the subject, but that lacking information regarding the precise form the embargo on exports to China had taken I hesitated to go into further details. General Chiang referred to the representation addressed by the American Government to the Japanese Government⁶⁶ protesting against the bombing of the French railway, among the grounds for protest adduced being the fact that the railway was the route over which American commerce with China was conducted. He said that the Chinese communication would not rely solely on a similar argument, but would specifically demand fulfillment of its treaty right to transport munitions. He then said that he was grateful for the earlier step taken by the American Government and he earnestly hoped that on this occasion the Government would again take some measure in support of the Chinese position as expressed in the projected communication to the French authorities.

3. General Chiang said that as a second measure in face of the present situation the Chinese Foreign Office would issue in a day or two a statement that the Chinese Government would counter with military force wherever possible following military measures taken by the Japanese in any island adjacent to Asia or on the continent of Asia. He was convinced, he said, that the Japanese intended to send armed forces into Indochina in order to enter China over that route and if they did China would send armed forces to oppose them.

4. In this interview Chiang did not ask for sympathy on our part nor did he even allude to the apparent complete closing of all important routes for the importation of supplies that are vitally essential for continued resistance, but the intensity of his voice and manner in making the observations summarized in the preceding paragraph evidenced his realization that a crisis had been reached in China’s long war of resistance.

5. The Chinese Government radio station this morning released an apparently inspired statement embodying the purport of Chiang’s remarks set forth in paragraphs 2 and 3 and referring to the treaty with France as concluded September [May] 16, 1930.

Sent to the Department, repeated to Peiping, latter mail to Tokyo.

Johnson

62. This telegram reported that Generalissimo Chiang had invited the Ambassador to can (893.24/753).
63. Chairman of the board of directors, Bank of China; see also pp. 636 ff.
64. Not found in Department files.
65. Convention concerning the relations between the two countries with regard to French Indochina and the adjacent Chinese provinces, signed at Nanking, May 16, 1930; League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. clxii, p. 99.
66. Dated January 31, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 674.