893.01 Manchuria/221: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
558. Following from American Consul General at Harbin:
“May 20, 4 p.m. The local Japanese Consulate General has stated that sporadic fighting between the Japanese defence forces near Sungpu and about 1200 of General Ma’s troops is still continuing; that there is fear that some of General Ma’s soldiers disguised as civilians have made their way into Fuchiatien with refugees who have fled across the river to Harbin; that Japanese troops are coming from Sansing and possibly from Changchun to reenforce the islands near Sungpu; that old Kirin troops have arrived at Pinghsien with the object of making an advance on Harbin; and that Japanese patrols had been increased at Harbin and Fuchiatien to avoid local disturbances.”
“May 21, noon. League Commission left Harbin by special train for Mukden at 7:10 this morning, leaving behind Biddle, Moss, Kotze and Astor who are to proceed tomorrow to Tsitsihar by aeroplane, thence by train via Taonan to Nanking.
Commission abandoned idea of proceeding to Tsitsihar because Japanese military stated that they could not afford protection.
- 2.
- Manchukuo refused to assist Commission to meet General Ma who was accused of being an enemy of the new state. Soviet Government refused permission to enter Siberia to four persons mentioned above who were desirous of meeting Ma at Taheiho on the ground that [Page 31] granting such permission would be departure from the neutral position which Soviet Russia has consistently maintained throughout the present conflict.
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- 4.
- Harbin is closely surrounded on all sides by anti-Japanese and anti-Manchukuo troops. Chinese forces estimated to be about 10,000 at Pinghsien have stopped their advance south according to a Japanese report. Japanese troops are being withdrawn from Sansing on steamers, which are constantly being fired upon, to reinforce those now engaged in fighting Ma’s forces near Sungpu.
It is not believed danger threatens Harbin but the situation is annoying to Japanese military who are obliged to scatter their limited forces on so many fronts. Anti-Manchukuo forces continue to make raids along the railway east of Imienpo. It is reliably reported that Sansing was evacuated by Chinese troops before arrival of Japanese forces there. Chinese tactics appear to be to refuse to engage large bodies of Japanese troops but to attack isolated groups. New Kirin troops continually going over to other side. Chinese crews of gunboats allegedly assisting Japanese operations on Sungari River reported unwilling to fire on own people.”
- Telegram in three sections.↩