761.9415 Amur River/3: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 1—8:40 a.m.]
196. Reference Embassy’s 195, July 1, 3 p.m. Following telegram has been received from the Consul General at Harbin.
“July 1, 11 a.m. The Foreign Commissioner confirms press reports that yesterday a Russian gunboat was sunk by gun fire during an engagement following an alleged invasion of Manchukuo waters in the Amur River south of Taheiho.”
“The Consulate General feels that the new epidemic of border incidents is inspired by the Japanese Army and indicates that the Japanese Army really believes that the recent executions of military officers in Soviet Russia reveal hitherto unsuspected Soviet military weakness, although Japanese Army officers have published the opinion that the Soviet Army was strengthened by those executions”.
By mail to Tokyo.