793.94/15175: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
186. Chungking’s 425, July 6, 10 a.m.,93 and 429, July 7, noon.
The Department is greatly perturbed at the danger to which Ambassador Johnson and the American Embassy staff are being subjected; also by the continued bombing of American properties as exemplified in this latest instance in which the Lewis Memorial Institutional Church in Chungking was damaged. Press despatches from Chungking state that today’s raid caused the serious and perhaps fatal injury of Jasper Shen, said to be a Hawaiian-born American citizen.
Unless you perceive objection, please call as soon as practicable on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, conveying to the Minister as under instruction an expression of this Government’s deep concern for the safety of the Ambassador and his staff at Chungking and for the safety of other Americans and American property, and saying that this Government expects that the Japanese Government will without delay take such steps as may be necessary to insure the avoidance of further endangering by Japanese bombing operations of American lives and property.
In view of the possibility that the issuance of restraining orders to the Japanese air force in the field might be expedited thereby, the [Page 655] Consul General at Shanghai is requested to ask his Japanese colleague to take appropriate action vis-à-vis the Japanese military command.
Repeated to Peiping, Chungking and Shanghai.
Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo Chungking’s telegrams under reference.
- Not printed.↩