893.01 Manchuria/232a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: During my conversations with the British representatives in Geneva, including the Prime Minister and Sir John Simon, some doubt was expressed by them as to whether the evidence that Japan was responsible for the establishment of the so-called “Independent State of Manchoukuo” existed in tangible and convincing form. They raised the point that in case protests should be directed to Japan in respect to particular acts of the Manchoukuo Government in derogation of China’s sovereignty, Japan would have a good answer by disclaiming any responsibility for the Manchoukuo Government. I understand that the various members of the British Foreign Office in talking with Hugh Gibson and Norman Davis made a similar point. I told the Prime Minister and Sir John at the time that I felt that the evidence was so clear that no such reply on the part of Japan would have the slightest validity.
I have had prepared in the Department from the facts in our possession the enclosed document32 setting forth various items of evidence of Japan’s initiative in the creation and practical control of the new administration of the “Independent State of Manchoukuo”. I should be glad if you would deliver this to Sir John Simon personally with the suggestion that he may find in it facts which may possibly have not come to the attention of the British Foreign Office and in the hope that it might be of interest to him and the Foreign Office.
Yours very sincerely,
P.S. In handing this document to Sir John Simon, please request him to keep in confidence the fact that the Department has furnished him and the British Foreign Office with this information.
- Not printed: it was entitled “Evidence of Japanese initiative in the creation and practical control of the new administration of the ‘independent State of Manchoukuo’” and was based upon reports in the Department files. Similar material is printed separately in Foreign Relations for the period.↩