Office of the Historian

793.94/7942: Telegram

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

Peiping, June 4, 1936—3 p.m.
[Received 9:03 p.m.15]

282. Embassy’s 275, June 2, 4 p.m.16

1.
The Chinese mentioned in Embassy’s despatch No. 118, December 6, 1935,17 returned from Nanking a few days ago and has since then been conversing with local leaders. Information obtained from him this morning is contained in paragraphs 2 to 7 inclusive of this telegram.
2.
The crisis of last week in Sung’s regime had to do with the question of the independence of Hopei and Chahar from the National Government. Sung Che Yuan had made up his mind to declare independence. As a result of the strong opposition of Sung’s military subordinates, Sung was forced to change his mind and decided against independence.
3.
Although Hsiao Chen Ying is pro-Japanese he is opposed to independence. The so-called Kirin group is on the side of the military subordinates in this question.
4.
However, the traitor group is in favor of independence and its strength comes from having the support of the Japanese. The three chief traitors are Pan Yu Kuei (an Anhwei man), Chen Chueh Sheng (a Kwangtung man), and Chen Chung Fu (a Kwangsi man). Of these three, Pan Yu Kuei is now the most important.
5.
Hsiao Chen Ying’s opposition to independence was the reason why the Japanese attempted to force his resignation as mayor of Tientsin. (Hsiao returned to Peiping last night and local officials doubt that he will resume his duties in Tientsin.)
6.
As Sung has definitely decided against independence, the next move is apparently to be made by the Japanese. This may take the form of subversive activities which will make it difficult for Sung to remain here. If Sung has to fight, his policy will probably be to retreat while fighting in the direction of Honan.
7.
Chen Chung Fu (paragraph 6 of above-mentioned telegram) has gone to Canton. (He left Peiping May 27.) His purpose was to inform Canton that Sung would declare independence and to attempt to obtain a simultaneous declaration of Southwestern independence. Chen may have influenced the Southwest in its manifesto of June 2 demanding war with Japan. Sung, however, will not declare independence.
Johnson
  1. Telegram in two sections.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Dr. Chiang Monlin, Chancellor of Peiping University; for despatch, see Foreign Relations, 1935, vol. iii, p. 475.↩