393.1163M56/302
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to
the Secretary of State
No. 5645
Tokyo, June 10, 1941.
[Received July
5.]
Subject: Bombing of Methodist Episcopal Mission Property
at Chungking by Japanese Aircraft on June 1, 1941.
[Page 714]
Sir: With reference to my telegram no. 771
dated June 5, 9 p.m.,40
reporting the conversation I had with the Minister for Foreign Affairs
on the above subject, I have the honor to enclose a copy of the signed
note I handed him at the time, together with a copy of my memorandum of
our conversation.
On the following day, June 6, 1941, the Foreign Minister sent me a
message through his secretary stating that he had on that day taken up
with the War Minister at the Cabinet meeting the question of aerial
bombardment in China affecting American property, and that the War
Minister had given him assurances that special care would be taken in
the future. The receipt of this message was reported in the Embassy’s
telegram no. 781 of June 6, 8 p.m.40
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure 1]
The American Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Matsuoka)
No. 1817
Tokyo, June 4, 1941.
Excellency: With reference to my note to
Your Excellency no. 1803 of May 22, 1941,40 concerning damage inflicted
on properties of the Methodist Episcopal Mission at Chungking by
Japanese aircraft on May 9 and May 10, 1941, I have the honor to
inform Your Excellency that properties of the same Mission at
Chungking were again seriously damaged by Japanese aerial
bombardment on June 1, 1941.
According to information received from the American Embassy at
Chungking, a section of the hospital of the Mission at Tai Chiahang,
in the center of the city, was badly damaged by a direct hit. A
second bomb damaged the compound wall, and the home of an American
missionary received damage from stones through the roof. This
property has been damaged on at least four previous occasions.
In addition, the newly built Lewis Memorial Institutional Church of
the same Mission, located at a distance of about seven hundred yards
from the hospital mentioned above, was completely wrecked by a
direct hit. This property has likewise been damaged on at least four
previous occasions.
Although fortunately there were no casualties, it has been estimated
that the cost of “restoring the buildings to use” will be about
$150,000 Chinese currency.
In bringing to Your Excellency’s attention this last instance of
destruction of the Methodist Episcopal Mission’s property during the
wanton and random bombardment of Chungking by Japanese aerial
forces, I feel impelled to repeat my previous emphatic protests on
this
[Page 715]
subject. It is again
pointed out that the placing in jeopardy of American lives and the
damaging of American property can hardly have a stabilizing effect
on public opinion in the United States, and it is urgently requested
that immediate steps be taken to put a stop to these attacks on
American lives and property in China.
I avail myself [etc.]
[Enclosure 2]
Memorandum by the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
In an interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs today I made
emphatic representations and delivered a first person note
protesting the bombing and serious damage of the properties of the
Methodist Episcopal Mission at Chungking by Japanese aircraft on
June 1, properties which had been similarly damaged on at least four
previous occasions. I dwelt at length on the steadily growing list
of such depredations at the hands of the Japanese forces in China
and spoke of the accumulating evidence that American properties
seemed to be marked out for purposeful attack, having in mind the
repeated assurances given me by the Japanese Government that such
attacks were aimed only at military objectives. The location[s] of
these properties, I said, were notified to the Japanese military
authorities and they were carefully marked with American flags. It
seemed to me preposterous to credit the Japanese aviators with such
lack of skill. My note spoke of the inevitable effect on American
public opinion of such wanton and random bombardment.
The Minister appeared to be impressed with these representations. He
called in his secretary and asked that a memorandum be prepared for
him to take up the matter with the War and Navy Ministers in Cabinet
meeting tomorrow morning.
