793.94/7036: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
154. 1. A high Chinese source states that no Japanese demands were formulated in Shantung and that they were added to by local Japanese military before presentation to Ho, that Ho was accordingly given notice to repudiate the additions and by the night of June 10th considered that the crisis had definitely passed. The sudden presentation of document embodying both offers and new demands on June 11th was completely unexpected and indicated that the Kwantung Army had acquiesced in the additions desired by Japanese military in North China.
2. This informant states that the far-reaching character of the Japanese demands was due to what he states is now proven fact that [Page 239] Japanese found upon Sun Yung-chin orders covering anti-Japanese activities received from Chiang Kai-shek personally.
3. Same source states that a telegram has just been received from official source in Peiping that municipal authorities there are preparing to abandon their posts.
Despatched to the Department and Legation.
- Telegram in two sections.↩