861.77 Chinese Eastern/244: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
751. My 749, August 22, 7 p.m. Following from American Consul at Harbin:
“August 22, 4 p.m. Customs reports state so-called Soviet detachments approached Chalainor and removed their dead. Most Chinese merchants have left Manchuria Station, remainder have been requested by military to make contribution to Chinese soldiers who are uncomfortable sitting in wet trenches. Tungning now in possession of Chinese. Officials state regular Soviet troops, other reports state brigands who burned half of the town. Chinese people very panic stricken and Chinese military fear an immediate attack there and difficulty civilian evacuation in the event of destruction of Chinese Eastern Railway’s roadbed. Small bands Russian [apparent omission] terrorists or brigands operating north and south of Pogranichnaya. Some together with the Soviet aircraft have appeared near the Muling coal mines which have requested military protection. Chinese gunboats have retired to Fuchin. Management of mines at Koshan reports armed band approaching that place overland from Chinese village Lopeh on right bank Amur River. The Chinese side of Amur is unprotected from Lahasusu to Moho a distance of 1,000 miles except at Taheiho where there are 3,000 Chinese soldiers in precarious condition as no reinforcements nor supplies can reach them by river or by road from Tsitsihar which is practically impassable on account of floods. In my opinion no actual warfare has begun and Soviet object at present appears to be to force coal mines at Chalainor, Koshan, Muling stop supplying coal to railway and to intimidate railway employees by acts of terrorism in order to paralyze work of line. Chaos on the railway and raids and threats of war would result in further losses to Chinese merchants who have already lost about ten million dollars.
Only other source of coal is Japanese Fushun mines. Wood could be used but train service would have to be curtailed. Japanese Consul General for unexpressed reasons extremely curious to know whether I considered a state of war existed. I informed him I did not.”
- Telegram in three sections.↩