793.94/2346
Memorandum by the Minister in China (Johnson) of a Conversation With Mr. W. H. Donald, Adviser to Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang of Manchuria13
Mr. Donald just called me by telephone and said that Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang had received a telegram from Mukden stating that a little before 10 p.m. the evening of the 18th a squad of Japanese soldiers had left the Japanese area and proceeding southeast of Mukden had commenced firing with rifles at the east camp and at the arsenal. He said they were also using a cannon and were apparently firing shells on the city at the rate of one every ten minutes; that one had landed somewhere near the Japanese monument. He said that at that time it was reported that some seventy Chinese soldiers had been killed in the east camp but they had no information as to what damage had been done in the city. He informed me that Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang had issued orders restricting troops to barracks and depoting all arms and had forbade any retaliatory measures.
Mr. Donald stated that he had received a personal message to the effect that firing was continuing at one o’clock this morning and that Japanese soldiers had been seen marching in the direction of the west gate of the city, the inference being that the Japanese were making a move to occupy the city of Mukden. Mr. Donald stated that their information was that apparently the Japanese military had got completely out of hand at Mukden, that the Japanese civilian authorities, namely the consul general, were powerless to do anything.
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Minister in his despatch No. 1203, October 1; received October 26.↩