Office of the Historian

893.00/11907: Telegram

The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Acting Secretary of State

Shanghai, April 27, 1932—3 p.m.
[Received April 27—5:19 a.m.]

Your 155, April 25, 9 p.m.

1.
The British Minister has instructed his Consul at Amoy that it would be desirable to defend Kulangsu provided all naval commanders agreed and that foreigners should be evacuated only if absolutely [Page 504] necessary. He feels that an intimation that the Settlement would be defended may prevent attack.
2.
In view of Amoy’s April 25, 6 p.m., and April 26, 7 [10?] p.m.,49 I shall not for the present issue definite instructions.
3.
With regard to paragraph 2 of the Department’s 155, I feel that complications which might arise from close cooperation with the Japanese in defending Kulangsu at this time would perhaps outweigh purely strategical considerations but I shall keep in touch with my British colleague and bear in mind Department’s suggestion.
Johnson
  1. Latter not printed.↩