711.94/213316/18
Memorandum of a Conversation
Mr. Hamilton36a referred to the previous conversations which the Secretary had had with the Japanese Ambassador in which the Secretary had made mention of two points in the Japanese proposal which presented specially important difficulties to us, and expressed the view that with regard to one of them, the proposed cooperative defense against communistic activities, it might be helpful if Colonel Iwakuro could outline to us what the Japanese Government had in mind as to what was involved in this point.
Colonel Iwakuro reviewed briefly the historical background relating to Japan’s efforts to prevent the spread of communism into Manchuria and Japanese territory and discussed the need from the point of view of Japan’s security of including in Japan’s terms for a peaceful settlement with China provision for cooperative resistance against communistic activities. He drew a rough sketch map of the general region of North China, Mongolia, Manchuria, and Siberia to indicate the strategic problem involved in protecting Manchuria from infiltration across Inner Mongolia and North China of communistic elements. He drew a line along a distance east and west showing the general region in Inner Mongolia where it was proposed to station Japanese troops for protection against the entry of communistic elements from Outer Mongolia. He also drew lines of communication leading southward from this line to the Peiping-Tientsin area with one extension leading southward along what appeared to be the railway to Tsinan and thence through Shantung to Tsingtao. He said it was proposed to station some troops to maintain these lines of communication.
Asked how many Japanese troops it was contemplated stationing under such an arrangement, the Colonel said that he had in mind a number between one tenth and one fifth of the present force garrisoned in North China. He said that the present number of the latter force was a military secret. The Colonel wished to assure us positively that the troops which would be maintained for resistance against communistic activities would not under any circumstances interfere in Chinese internal affairs and that in no circumstances would the provision, if adopted, for cooperation for resistance against communistic activities be made the occasion for the stationing of Japanese troops in areas in China other than specified areas in Inner Mongolia or North China. The Colonel said that there was envisaged, as the Ambassador had previously indicated, an arrangement along [Page 445] lines of the Boxer Protocol to take care of this matter. Asked for how long a period it was envisaged stationing Japanese troops in China for the purpose under reference, Colonel Iwakuro replied that Japan did not intend to make such stationing permanent but only so long as necessary for protection against communistic activities from external sources. He suggested that there was a possibility before many years of a war between Japan and the Soviet Union, the outcome of which might alter the situation with reference to the threat of communistic activities.
Mr. Hamilton said he wished to make it clear that we did not wish to enter into the merits of the question presented, but that, in as much as the Japanese proposal called for presentation by this Government to the Chinese Government of Japan’s terms for a peaceful settlement, we could not divest ourselves of a certain degree of responsibility in the matter, and that the American people being a people devoted to principles as well as a practical people, would expect this Government to adhere to its declared principles. He raised for consideration the question whether it might be possible to work out a formula whereby under the point in regard to defense against communistic activities there would be no reference to stationing of Japanese troops in Chinese territory and under the point in regard to withdrawal of Japanese troops a statement might be made somewhat to the effect that under a schedule to be arranged with the Chinese Government for the withdrawal of Japanese troops from China evacuation of forces in North China and Inner Mongolia would be left to the last, and that shortly before the due date of completion of evacuation the Japanese Government might propose to the Chinese Government consultation in regard to measures called for by any situation that might exist, including any situation with reference to communistic activities.
Various suggestions were then offered in regard to a possible draft, and the Japanese endeavored to get Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Ballantine to collaborate in drafting something on this point, but Mr. Hamilton said that it was already late and that it might be more helpful if each side should give further consideration to this point independently.
Mr. Hamilton also paid a tribute to the frankness which Colonel Iwakuro had manifested in all his talks and said that we had all been much impressed by his broad grasp of the problems involved in our discussions.
- Mr. Hamilton was meeting with Colonel Iwakuro and Mr. Wikawa.↩