793.94/6228: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 25—4:25 p.m.]
369. My 365, April 24, 7 p.m. Liu Chung-chieh, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, asked me to come to see him this evening. General Ho Ying-chin was there and stated that all quiet on Lwan front but that serious fighting was proceeding at Kupeikou and that he believed Japanese intended to drive Chinese forces out of passes into the plain. He insisted that Chinese had made no attack upon Japanese—that in all cases Japanese were taking initiative and that Chinese were merely trying to resist efforts to drive them back. He said that they knew Chinese could not make a successful resistance but there was nothing else they could do. He did not understand Japanese statements that they would not come beyond the Wall—he feared they might come to Peiping.
- 2.
- Vice Minister Liu repeated statements made to me yesterday by Shen, Chief of Asiatic Department of Foreign Office. He stated that Lo Wen-kan had asked him to see interested Ministers and to ask them whether their Governments could not ascertain purposes of Japan. He pointed out that China was in a hopeless situation; they could not negotiate with the Japanese or make terms without breaking faith with the League and the friendly powers party to the Pact of Paris; they were attempting with such force as they possessed to defend themselves and their country against further invasion by Japan—they were not attacking the Japanese—and yet the Japanese continued to push forward their attacks and were now threatening Peiping and Tientsin. He said that they were anxious that some way be found to stop the destruction to life and property now going on. Not being in a position to make direct overtures to the Japanese they had no other recourse but to seek the aid of the friendly powers.
- 3.
- I told Liu that matter was fraught with difficulties but that I would inform Department of his conversation. As I left he informed me that T. V. Soong would seek an opportunity to bring to our attention the plight that they were in.
- 4.
- I shall see British Minister tomorrow and report his views.