793.94/7385: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 16—11 a.m.]
83. Suma, who has apparently been watching the situation very closely, informed me today that the Fifth Kuomintang Congress is considering China’s attitude toward Japan in connection with the election of the new Central Executive Committee and that the Congress thus far divides itself into about 70% hostile to Japan while 30% supports Wang Ching-wei and his group and Sun Fo and his group whom he describes as Japanophile. He states that Wang Chingwei’s group have lost heavily in prestige and that the Southwest group are opposing Wang Ching-wei’s inclusion in the Cabinet and are supporting the candidacy of Yen Hsi-shan as a compromise between Wang Ching-wei and Hu Han-min.
Suma also stated that there was a concentration of 11 divisions of Chinese troops between Nanking and Shanghai, brought into this area from Kiangsi, and that there was a further concentration of Chinese troops on the Peiping-Hankow Railway in the direction of Hankow.
Repeated to Peiping. To Tokyo by mail.