893.01 Manchuria/1128
The Counselor of Legation in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 3.]
Sir: I have the honor to recall that on March 1, 1934, Henry Pu Yi was constituted so-called Emperor of “Manchoutikuo”.
There was a great deal of pressure exerted by various individuals in the National Government and in China generally to induce the National Government to take some action in connection with this event which would prevent any increase in the stability of the newly organized regime in Manchuria following from the creation of an “Emperor”. It was feared by some Chinese politicians that unless the National Government took some additional action, it might be regarded as giving tacit recognition to the “Emperor”. The idea seems to have been seriously broached of sending a military expedition against Manchuria, on the ground that Henry Pu Yi’s assumption of office was an especially flagrant traitorous act. However, there were counter charges that this proposal was made with full knowledge on the part of the originators that it would be folly to attempt to punish “Manchukuo” since this would amount to waging war against Japan, and that the proposal was not honestly made, [Page 196] but was merely a device to embarrass the Chiang Kai-shek–Wang Ching-wei regime.
In spite of these considerations, the National Government found it advisable to issue a circular statement on March 11, 1934, recounting the diplomatic and military measures taken to resist Japanese encroachments and repudiating any significance which might be attached to the inauguration of the so-called “Emperor”. On the same day, March 11, 1934, the National Government, in recognition of the demand referred to above that a punitive expedition be launched against “Manchukuo”, issued an order to those government organs directly subordinate to the National Government, directing that those Chinese traitors who supported the bogus organization be “forcibly dealt with and severely punished according to the Law Governing Emergency Punishment of Crimes Endangering the State and the Regulations Governing Punishment of Robbers and Bandits”.
There are enclosed herewith a copy of the National Government’s circular of March 11, 1934, and a copy of the National Government’s instruction of March 11, 1934, with translations thereof made in this office.28
Respectfully yours,
- None printed.↩