893.00/12105: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 11—5:35 a.m.]
931. 1. In telegram dated August 8 addressed to the “National Government, [Military] Council and Executive Yuan, Nanking and Loyang” Marshal Chang states: “It is requested that you will relieve me from my present office [of] Peiping Pacification Commissioner and will appoint a man of virtue to succeed me”.
2. In spite of the apparent definiteness of these telegrams there is much diversity of opinion as to the genuineness of the Marshal’s “resignation”. In well-informed quarters the view is expressed that he does not intend to relinquish the command of his troops or go further than to resign as chairman of the Peiping Political Council thus passing on to that body responsibility for the direction of affairs in North China. Conviction is that whether the Marshal stays or goes will depend entirely upon the wishes of Chiang Kai-shek to whom the Marshal has already despatched a personal representative.
3. There are various explanations of the resignation of Wang Ching-wei: (a) That having no control over either troops or money he was unable to bring about a more uniform policy against Japan; (b) that having learned Chiang Kai-shek purposed to oust him he was [Page 200] simply anticipating this move and at the same time striking at Chiang indirectly by denouncing his nomination; and (c) that fearing Japan would otherwise occupy North China he felt it necessary to cause the elimination of Marshal Chang in order to obviate the pretext for such an invasion.
4. The situation is as yet too obscure to make any predictions regarding forthcoming developments. The events of the last few days do not seem as yet to threaten any immediate clash either among Chinese factions or between Japanese and Chinese troops.
Copy to Tokyo by mail.