893.00 Tsinan/69: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 18—10:45 a.m.]
368. Referring to Department’s telegram No. 153, May 9, 6 p.m. Following from Tsinanfu under date of May 14, 5 p.m.:
“General Chiang Kai-shek on May 4th personally assured the American and British consuls he was prepared to meet and negotiate with the Japanese commander in chief at any neutral consulate. This message was delivered immediately to Japanese consul general for transmission to Japanese commander in chief but latter did not reply. When fighting was resumed May 8th Chiang had left Tsinanfu leaving no information as to responsible officer in charge in addition to which Chinese troops in the city absolutely refused to consider the only terms on which the Japanese were prepared to desist operations, namely, surrender of their arms.”