793.94/3356: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 30—7:40 a.m.]
1154. Following from American Consul General at Mukden:
“December 30, 11 a.m. Reliable information has been received that Panshan was captured by Japanese yesterday afternoon and that Japanese forces are continuing their move towards Kowpangtze.
Nine additional Japanese troop trains left Mukden over the Peiping-Mukden Railway since midnight. The nine trains which left Mukden yesterday were discharged at Hsinmin and returned to Mukden.
The object of this operation seems to be at least the suppression of bandits in the triangle formed by the Liao River and the Peiping-Mukden Railway. No official information released.”
Repeated to Tokyo.