793.94/6263: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 9—3:55 a.m.]
96. The renewed Japanese offensive in North China which started yesterday southwest of Shanhaikwan has evidently been instigated by the continual but desultory attacks by Chinese forces on the Japanese [Page 308] forces south of the Wall. While the General Staff declines to reveal its intentions or objective, the Military Attaché believes that the offensive may sweep along the old Mandarin Road westward to Peiping. With the investment of Peiping the Japanese would be in a position to demand a cessation of Chinese attacks on the Wall in return for Japanese withdrawal from Peiping, thus offering a face-saving device for the Chinese while securing Japanese occupancy of the Wall without further opposition. Until the present operations develop further, however, the foregoing hypothesis is purely suppositional.
Repeated to Peiping.