Office of the Historian

793.94/7020: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, June 10, 1935—5 p.m.
[Received June 10—7:47 a.m.]

125. Embassy’s 123, June 8, 10 a.m. and previous in regard to crisis in North China. The Embassy has been endeavoring to confirm newspaper reports to the effect that on June 9 the Japanese Army delivered to General Ho Ying-chin an “ultimatum” requiring an answer by midnight of June 12 but both Foreign Office and War Office state that they have not yet received official reports. Foreign Office spokesman states however that the demands cannot constitute an ultimatum as an ultimatum requires a threat of war and Japan has not decided to declare war in the event of the refusal of the Chinese to accede to the Japanese demands.

Repeated to Peiping.

Grew