893.00/13661: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
Peiping, August 10, 1936—3
p.m.
[Received August 10—2:50 p.m.]
[Received August 10—2:50 p.m.]
399. Reference pages 8 to 11 of the monthly report for January and pages 15 and 16 of the report for May.83
- 1.
- Various reports indicate that a number of advanced clashes have occurred during the past 10 days in eastern Suiyuan north and east of Tsining (Pingtichuan) which is on Peiping–Suiyuan Railway between Chinese provincial forces and unidentified opponents. It was thought at first that the attackers were perhaps Japanese directed Mongols but there is now reason to believe that they are Chinese malcontents paid by Japanese to test the situation existing in eastern Suiyuan. All attacks are said to have been unsuccessful.
- 2.
- These clashes may be the beginning of an attempt by the Kwantung army, which is in charge of Japanese policy in Inner Mongolia and along the Peiping–Suiyuan Railway, to obtain control of Suiyuan through the use of hired Chinese, Japanese directed Mongol forces, and perhaps eventually Japanese forces. All reports show that the Kwantung army has in Chahar Province several thousand Mongol forces, some of them being from Jehol Province and some being Mongols recruited in Chahar. The immediate intention may be limited to obtaining control of that part of eastern Suiyuan inhabited by Mongols of the Chahar banners. Control of this area would make it easier for the Kwantung army to take over control of the Peiping–Suiyuan Railway when desired.
- 3.
- It is open to question whether only hired Chinese and Japanese directed Mongol forces can be successful because of (1) the preparedness of Chinese provincial forces and (2) the alleged dislike of the Japanese directed Mongol forces for the Japanese controlling them.
- 4.
- The Kwantung army may be in part motivated by its presumed belief that Japanese policy in China proper is not meeting with success.
By mail to Tokyo.
Johnson
- Neither printed.↩