793.94/2476: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 5—5:10 a.m.]
873. Legation’s 870, November 4, noon. Following two telegrams from Harbin:
“November 4, noon. Chinese officials here and at Tsitsihar deny that General Ma of Tsitsihar has received or is receiving military supplies or advice from Soviet Russia. During my 2 days stay at Tsitsihar, I could discover no details of such aid but that he had received a telegraphic communication from the Japanese Consul at Manchuria Station to the effect that a shipment of munitions had passed from Siberia through that place to the Chinese authorities.
Telephone reports received by me this morning from foreigners at Hailar indicate that there are no troop movement[s], Soviet or Chinese, nor unrest at or near that place and Manchuria Station.
I am inclined to believe that Japanese reports of Soviet troop movements threatening the Japanese army in Manchuria are propaganda spies [lies?] with the idea of enlisting outside sympathy for Japan and of ascertaining Soviet Russia’s attitude and policy.”
“November 4, 5 p.m. Chinese radio station here has informed that [us?] that it has received from Tsitsihar reports to the effect that in the afternoon of November 3rd a Japanese airplane dropped leaflets over trenches of Tsitsihar soldiers near Kingansing Station located on the Tao-Ang Railway north of Nonni River, that in the evening some [Page 372] Japanese soldiers crossed from the south [of] the Nonni and fired upon Tsitsihar soldiers, that early in the morning of November 4th Japanese soldiers (apparent omission) Chinese soldiers and that at 1 p.m. about 20 Japanese soldiers came over and fired, whereupon Tsitsihar troops returned a fire, causing the Japanese to retire.
- 2.
- I have not been able to check this report but believe that it is substantially correct.
- 3.
- Local Japanese [Consulate?] states that it has had no report of any fighting so far but that Japanese troops had departed from Taonan toward Nonni River Bridge.”
Repeated to Shanghai and Tokyo.