Office of the Historian

793.94/3784: Telegram

The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State

Shanghai, January 31, 1932—12 p.m.
[Received February 1—3:05 a.m.]

The situation within the Settlement:

Sniping by plain-clothes men both Japanese and Chinese is worse than it has ever been and the number [of] snipers is increasing. This is particularly true in the Hongkew district the policing of which was taken over by the Japanese marines the night of January 30th. Sniping however occurs occasionally in the central district close to this Consulate General.

2.
Last night a group of eight Japanese civilians fired two shots over the head of the American marine sentry at his post. They were arrested and numerous weapons were found. The international police interviewed these prisoners who first stated that they were schoolboys but ages ranged from 25 to 50 years. Later they stated that they had been ordered by Japanese naval authorities to go to Japanese mill No. 8 and still later said they were Japanese school teachers. Another group of Japanese civilians were picked [up?] by American sentries. These were all armed with pistols. They were later disarmed and turned back loose.
3.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Hongkew and Yangtzepoo section of the city are pouring into central district. This will bring about serious problems as regards housing and food. There is every probability that a food shortage will occur.

Repeated to the Legation and Nanking.

Cunningham