Office of the Historian

793.94/7888: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, May 6, 1936—11 a.m.
[Received May 6—7 a.m.]

229. Embassy’s 213, April 29, 3 p.m.

1.
According to information obtainable from a Chinese official, the conversations at Tientsin between Sung Che Yuan and Japanese military have reached an impasse. Sung wants northern Chahar and Yin Ju Keng’s area returned to him. The Japanese want greater control of railways in Hopei, allegedly requesting permission to station Japanese troops at the strategic railway junction Fengtai, south of Peiping, and at Shihkiachwang. They also want to control Nan-yuan airfield (at Peiping).
2.
This information is more or less in accord with information obtained from a similar informant in Tientsin by the Consulate General to the effect that the Japanese military are resolved to gain control of the communications in Hopei and Chahar, expand their military forces, gain control of and develop economic and industrial resources, and create an independent North China.
3.
Local officials now state that although Sung has approved construction of the Shihkiachwang-Tsangchow Railway, the National Government has not yet done so and that the chief of the engineering bureau of the proposed railway was appointed by Sung and not by the National Government. Wang Jun Chen left for Japan May 4 apparently in conjunction with the proposed railway. Wang has a Japanese mother, was formerly a department chief of the Peiping-Hankow Railway, and is now simultaneously adviser to Sung, adviser to the South Manchuria Railway, and high adviser to Yin Ju Keng.
4.
Embassy’s 217, April 30, 4 p.m. Lieutenant General Tada has been transferred to the command of the 11th Division in Japan. His successor, Lieutenant General Kanichiro Tashiro, appointed by the Emperor, was formerly Military Attaché to China, Chief of Staff of Japanese forces at Shanghai during the fighting of 1932, and subsequently Commander of the 11th Division.

By mail to Tokyo.

Johnson