793.94/3902e: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Nanking (Peck)
12. You will please arrange to call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 5 o’clock evening, Nanking time, February 2d to deliver to him a note the text of which follows:
You will say to the Minister for Foreign Affairs by way of introduction [Page 168] that the American Government has studied with care the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs as reported in your 23, January 31, 10 p.m., and, on the basis of the Minister’s statement that “the present policy of the Chinese Government is one of self-defense” and assuming that the Chinese Government does not desire continuance of hostilities, suggests to the Chinese Government the following proposal for cessation of hostilities. You will say that the same proposal is being made to the Japanese Government.22 You will then read him the following note and leave with him a copy of it.
“Proposal of the Powers for Cessation of Conflict
- 1.
- Cessation of all acts of violence on both sides forthwith on the following terms.
- 2.
- No further mobilization or preparation whatever for further hostilities between the two nations.
- 3.
- Withdrawal of both Japanese and Chinese combatants from all points of mutual contact in the Shanghai area.
- 4.
- Protection of the International Settlement by the establishment of neutral zones to divide the combatants. These zones to be policed by neutrals. The arrangements to be set up by the Consular authorities.
- 5.
- Upon acceptance of these conditions prompt advances to be made in negotiations to settle all outstanding controversies between the two nations in the spirit of the Pact of Paris and the Resolution of the League of Nations of December 9, without prior demand or reservation and with the aid of neutral observers or participants.”
The British Government is sending to your British colleague similar instructions. The British Government is proposing to the French and the Italian Governments that they take similar action. In the event that those two Governments also decide favorably within time to make possible the presentation by their representatives of like representations at the same time, you will be informed either through the Department or through your British colleague. Confer with British colleague and arrange that you and he make your calls at the same time. Similar calls are to be made in Tokyo at the same time.
- See telegram No. 34, February 1, 3 p.m., to the Ambassador in Japan, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 174.↩