793.94/4165
The Consul General at Mukden (Myers) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 13.]
Sir: I have the honor to submit for the information of the Department the following account of alleged atrocities committed by the Japanese Army during its recent engagements in western Liaoning province. The incidents were reported to the Consulate General by … international correspondent for … [He] informed Mr. Vincent of the incidents in confidence and requested that the source of the information not be disclosed.
Immediately following the taking of Tahushan late in December by the Japanese Army, three Chinese described as bandits were burned alive in Tahushan. Other Chinese captured at the same time were forced to witness the burning in the hope that they would be frightened into disclosing certain information which the army authorities were desirous of obtaining. Members of the families of the Chinese witnessing the execution were allowed to bring them food and in this way the story was made known to …
[Page 34]Also immediately following the capture of Tahushan, approximately sixty Chinese from the outlying villages, not knowing of the capture, came into Tahushan to attend the market. They were captured by the Japanese and guarantees of good character were demanded of them. Forty-one of them were able to produce satisfactory evidence of good character and were released. The remaining nineteen or more, being unable to obtain satisfactory guarantees were executed by a Japanese firing squad.
In Tungliao on November 4th when the Japanese army was temporarily in occupation of the city, five Chinese were buried alive in rice sacks. The bodies were later exhumed by the Chinese and were shown to … when he was in Tungliao in the original sacks in which they were buried.
On January 4th, ten days prior to the capture of Tungliao by the Japanese army, the city was bombed by Japanese aeroplanes. Contrary to the Japanese reports of the bombing which stated that military positions only were attacked, the bombs were dropped in the principal market district killing over twenty civilian Chinese and causing large property damage.… is in possession of photographs taken of the damaged district just after the bombing.
The above information was obtained by … during the course of a trip which he recently made from Mukden to Tungliao via Tahushan. He states that he had no intimation of the occurrence of these atrocities prior to his departure from Mukden and was inclined to disbelieve the reports until evidence presented to him convinced him of their essential correctness.
Respectfully yours,