Office of the Historian

Chapter VIII: December 13–31, 1937

Anglo-American consultation regarding Japanese bombing attack on American and British vessels near Nanking, December 13; Japanese Emperor’s reported desire to avert crisis with United States and United Kingdom, December 15; nonrecognition of new “puppet” regime at Peiping, December 18; Ambassador Johnson’s indictment of Japanese military policy, December 21; appeal to President Roosevelt by Generalissimo Chiang for assistance in restoring peace, December 24; German Ambassador’s transmission to Chiang of Japanese terms, December 27–28; Japanese naval orders against repetition of attack on American gunboat, December 28

[889] Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)

[Washington,] December 13, 1937.

394.115 Panay/5½

[891] The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, December 13, 1937—5 p.m.
[Received December 13—1 p.m.]

893.01 Provisional/1: Telegram

[892] The Commander in Chief, United States Asiatic Fleet (Yarnell) to the Chief of Naval Operations (Leahy)

[Shanghai,] December 13, 1937—9:40 p.m.
[Received December 13—9:10 a.m.]

793.94/11589: Telegram

[894] Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)

[Washington,] December 14, 1937.

893.0146/607

[895] The Consul at Tsingtao (Sokobin) to the Secretary of State

Tsingtao, December 14, 1937—3 p.m.
[Received December 15—1 a.m.]

793.94/11635: Telegram

[896] The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State

Berlin, December 14, 1937—3 p.m.
[Received December 14—12:35 p.m.]

793.94/11631: Telegram

[897] The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, December 14, 1937—4 p.m.
[Received December 14—8:40 a.m.]

893.01 Provisional/5: Telegram

[898] The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, December 14, 1937—5 p.m.
[Received December 14—12:25 p.m.]

793.94/11626: Telegram

[899] The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, December 14, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received December 14—7:25 a.m.]

893.01 Provisional/6: Telegram

[900] The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

London, December 14, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received December 14—2:35 p.m.]

741.94/149: Telegram

[901] The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State

Paris, December 15, 1937—11 a.m.
[Received December 15—9:35 a.m.]

793.94/11650: Telegram

[902] The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, December 15, 1937—noon.
[Received December 15—7:58 a.m.]

794.00/126½: Telegram

[903] The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, December 15, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received December 15—11:35 a.m.]

893.01 Provisional/7: Telegram

[904] The Secretary of State to the Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart)

Washington, December 15, 1937—7 p.m.

893.01 Provisional/6: Telegram

[905] The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State

Berlin, December 16, 1937—noon.
[Received December 16—8:45 a.m.]

793.94/11661: Telegram

[906] The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, December 16, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received December 16—10:23 a.m.]

793.94/11664: Telegram

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

Washington, December 16, 1937—7 p.m.

124.93/406a: Telegram

[908] The British Embassy to the Department of State

Washington , December 16, 1937.

893.01 Provisional/14

[909] The Consul at Tsingtao (Sokobin) to the Secretary of State

Tsingtao, December 18, 1937—9 a.m.
[Received December 19—1:10 a.m.]

793.94/11707: Telegram

[910] The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

London, December 18, 1937—3 p.m.
[Received December 18—12:55 p.m.]

793.94/11717: Telegram

[911] The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)

Washington, December 18, 1937—5 p.m.

793.94/11678: Telegram

[912] The Department of State to the British Embassy

Washington , December 18, 1937.

893.01 Provisional/14

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

Hankow, December 18, 1937—5 p.m.
[Received December 19—7:23 a.m.]

793.94/11714: Telegram

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

Hankow, December 18, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received December 19—4:15 p.m.]

793.94/11722: Telegram

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

Hankow, December 18, 1937—7 p.m.
[Received December 18—3:40 p.m.]

124.93/410: Telegram

[916] The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson)

Washington, December 19, 1937—3 p.m.

893.0146/598: Telegram

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

Hankow, December 19, 1937—4 p.m.
[Received December 19—12:40 p.m.]

793.94/11723: Telegram

[918] The Consul at Tsingtao (Sokobin) to the Secretary of State

Tsingtao, December 19, 1937—4 p.m.
[Received December 19—3 p.m.]

793.94/11721: Telegram