793.00/2–650: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in China
priority
121. Shanghai tel 586 Feb 6 rptd Taipei 163.1 You instructed immed make strong written protest Chi FonOff this deliberate attack on ITS property, pointing out despite easy identification installation this US owned and operated property subjected deliberate attack Feb 6 causing [Page 307] extensive damage and danger Amer lives. You shld emphasize this govt’s very serious concern over increasing number CAF attacks on US Amer property and densely populated areas, adding US Govt must again point out it reserves any rights behalf concerned Amers for loss life, personal injury or damage their property resulting from CAF bombing. US Govt expects assurances no repetition CAF attacks on American property.
You shld deliver note personally FonMin and make oral statement along fol lines:
US Govt becoming increasingly concerned over CAF bombing Chi cities resulting in damage and destruction non-milit structures and injury and loss life to Chi civilian population. Amer aviation equipment was not supplied Chi Govt for use against its own defenseless people or civilian property in heavily populated areas and its employment in this manner can only result in inflaming populace against Chi Govt and in turn against US thru use Amer equipment for such purposes. Destruction caused by raids this nature gravely affects basic welfare entire Chi population in such matters as water supply, sanitation, etc. Bombing this nature cannot play any decisive part in Chi Govt milit effort and must inevitably cause adverse reaction against Chi Govt on part Chi people. These raids cannot be justified in eyes Chi or Amer people as necessary part Chi Govt effort protect its position on Formosa. US Govt wld like to be informed as matter urgency whether Chi Govt intends continue air attacks this nature.
In addition to formal FonOff approach, you shld accompanied by appropriate Attaché convey orally sense foregoing to Chen Cheng, Adm Kuei2 and Gen Chou3 on informational basis in order there be no misunderstanding seriousness with which US Govt views CAF raids this nature.4
- Not printed. It reported on an air raid carried out on February 6 by planes of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force which damaged the Standard Oil installation in Shanghai and destroyed 25 percent of the capacity of the Shanghai Power Company, both American-owned concerns. Although no American lives were known to be lost, there were heavy casualties among the Chinese population (793.00/2–650).↩
- Kuei Yung-Ch’ing, Commander in Chief of the Chinese Navy.↩
- Chou Chih-jou, Commander in Chief of the Chinese Air Force.↩
- In telegram 194, February 1, from Taipei, not printed, Mr. Strong had reported delivery of a note protesting against a previous air raid on Shanghai on January 25. He concluded that telegram with the observation: “In my opinion Chinese Navy and CAF both have idea US will not retaliate in any serious way almost regardless of what they do.” (793.00/2–150)↩