394.115 Panay/20: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
340. Telegrams from Hankow indicate that yesterday and today American and British naval and merchant vessels at various points [Page 520] on Yangtze above Nanking were repeatedly fired on and bombed. A Japanese source is reported to have stated at Wuhu that Japanese military forces have orders to fire on all ships on the Yangtze. Today the U. S. S. Panay and three Standard Oil steamers at point twenty-seven miles above Nanking are reported bombed and sunk and survivors—including Embassy personnel, Navy personnel and some refugees—are now in Hohsien. Please immediately inform Hirota,18b ask for information, and request that Japanese Government immediately take appropriate action. Impress upon him the gravity of the situation and the imperative need to take every precaution against further attacks on American vessels or personnel.
When we have further particulars I shall give you further instruction.
- Koki Hirota, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩