793.94/4129: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Forbes) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 11—11:45 a.m.]
61. Referring to your telegram 50, February 10, 9 [8] p.m.8 while it is entirely possible the Japanese proposition of February 6 was made to gain time, my impression is, from all the evidence I can get, very strong that they now honestly want to end hostilities in the vicinity of Shanghai, although my British colleague is convinced they intend to establish the 20-mile zone by force if necessary, and expect to have to use it. Their policy here is not to show any sign of lessening activity until the Chinese come to terms, in the belief that any withdrawal or indication of yielding to outside influence merely stiffens Chinese resistance and renders negotiations impossible.
There is no doubt the Japanese are moving troops rapidly towards Shanghai. They think it extremely dangerous to stop this movement as the Chinese armies are out of control and might move in and overwhelm the Japanese population outside the Settlement,9 and possibly endanger the Settlement itself; and, until a basis of terms is reached, an adequate force of Japanese troops protects the whole situation. I think there is some force in this contention and this is opinion also of the British Ambassador.
At the Emperor’s luncheon today the Minister of the Navy made a special point of cordially approaching me, and stated that he had sent Nomura to Shanghai with the expectation of friendly cooperation and [Page 287] indicated his desire to bring hostilities to an end very soon.
Yoshizawa also was very cordial and stated that while they were demanding the 20-mile zone, he was disposed to make concessions as to distance in the interest of peace and would endeavor to get his colleagues of the Army and Navy to agree to this.
Baron Kato10 has indicated that the internal situation in Japan is very dangerous, but he believes the conservative elements are forging to the front and will emerge victorious if Japan is not held together by pressure from the outside.
I am convinced our best policy is no move at present.
Nagai has been sick in bed but he assured Neville that Cunningham would be invited to assist.
I think it very possible the Japanese demands, that look extreme, will prove to have been made in part for trading purposes. I hope they will presently make concessions that are satisfactory but will not confidently predict any such event.
This evening a representative of the Navy Department informed Captain Johnson that a bomb had been dropped in the American settlement [sector?] through the error of a Japanese aviator, reporting 5 Chinese killed and 15 wounded. There were no foreign casualties. They were profuse in their apologies.
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 191.↩
- In reply to an instruction from the Secretary of State, the Ambassador in Japan reported in telegram No. 63, February 12, 3 p.m., that “Foreign Office states orally that there are altogether slightly more than 10,000 Japanese residents in the Shanghai area outside the Settlement limits.” (793.94/4133)↩
- Presumably Admiral Kanji Kato, Japanese Supreme War Councilor.↩