793.94/6595: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Bullitt ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:25 p.m.]
60. Your telegram No. 47, April 20, 6 p.m.39 Soviet reaction to Japan’s announcement in regard to China is one of unalloyed delight. The position of the Soviet Union is regarded as greatly improved since it is considered likely that the United States and Great Britain now will have to oppose Japan openly whereas the Soviet Union will be able to remain discreetly in the background and may thus avoid the war with Japan which has been considered inevitable.
Litvinov, grinning broadly, said to me today:
“Perhaps your Government will realize now that there is no limit to which Japan will not go. Any concession whatever leads merely to further demands. This is equivalent to proclamation of a protectorate over China.
I know that the Japanese Minister in Peiping informed the British and German Ministers in advance. The British Minister said he could not assent. The German assented. You will note that the Japanese announcement was not directed against the German instructors of the Chinese Army which to my mind means that those instructors are the agents of the Japanese Government rather than of the Chinese Government. The announcement was directed against the United States and against the League of Nations whose committee headed by Rajchman is about to report.
There is but one way to stop Japan today and that is to call on all powers interested in the Pacific for a joint protest. The United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, Holland and Italy should be invited to join in a protest.”
I asked Litvinov why he did not include Germany. He said that he believed Germany was much too close to Japan at the moment to do anything but make trouble. I asked him if he did not think action should come by way of the League. He replied that the League would take no action; that this was a matter for the Pacific powers. I asked [Page 125] him if he thought words would be of any use unless we were ready to back them up by acts which none of us were anxious to perform. He answered that thus far Japan had only used words and that at the moment words were a fitting reply.
Litvinov said:
“If you allow this statement of the Japanese Foreign Office to pass without comment the Japanese in the future will insist that it has established a definite policy and that you have acquiesced by your silence.”
I made no comment on the foregoing observations but asked Litvinov how his negotiations with regard to the Chinese Eastern Railway were progressing. He said that he had submitted another offer to Japan but although the Japanese had promised to discuss it they had not done so.
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The Soviet press under orders has refrained from comment on the Japanese announcement.