793.94/16765a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan ( Grew )
502. Our telegram No. 451, August 1, 11 a.m. At my request the Japanese Ambassador called on August 13, 1941. During the call I pointed out that our authorities in Chungking had reported that in the four days before August 11 that city had been subjected to exceptionally heavy and prolonged air raid, including the city area itself as well as districts outside the city proper. I said that according to press dispatches the bombs had demolished at least one American residence and had endangered another. I reiterated in substance the telegram from the Department referred to above and requested, with regard to the pledge given on July 31 not to bomb the city area of Chungking, an [Page 725] explanation and a definitive indication on the part of the Japanese Government of its attitude and intention.
The immediate reply of the Japanese Ambassador was that the promise of the Japanese Government had merely been to cease bombing the city area “temporarily” and not indefinitely. He said that although he might have failed to do so, he believed this fact had been made clear by him to Mr. Welles.