Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, Japan, 1931–1941, Volume I

793.94/1794: Telegram

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

Peiping, September 19, 1931—2:30 a.m.
[Received September 18—7:10 p.m.]

599. Donald,¹ adviser to Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang,² has just informed me of the receipt here by Chang Hsueh-liang of a telegram from Mukden to the effect that at 10 p.m., on evening of September 18th a squad of Japanese soldiers, having left Japanese barracks and gone southeast of Mukden City, were firing with rifles at the east camp, arsenal and city and with artillery at the rate of one shell a minute. Statement is that some 70 soldiers at east camp had been injured. No knowledge of amount of damage or number of casualties in city. Donald stated that Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang had ordered all Chinese soldiers within barracks, depoted all arms, and forbade retaliation, adding that Japanese soldiers had apparently run amuck, Japanese consular authorities being powerless. Firing reported to be still going on at 1 o’clock this morning, Japanese soldiers then at west gate apparently surrounding city.

Please inform War and Navy Department[s]. Nanking, commander in chief and Tokyo informed.

Johnson

1. W. H. Donald, an Australian.
2. Vice commander in chief of the National Army, Navy, and Air Forces of China and commander in chief of the Northeastern Frontier Defense with headquarters at Mukden.