Office of the Historian

793.94/8954

Professor John Lossing Buck to the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck)86

Shanghai, July 13, 1937

Timperley sends the following information to yourself and Hornbeck: [Page 158]

“Hu Shih and other responsible Chinese think present crisis most serious since that of September, 1931. I have confidential information of military preparations of Chinese and attitude of highest officials downward from generalissimo makes me believe that finally Nanking has decided to fight. Reuters’ correspondent here learns that general offensive with 50,000 troops planned by Japan—to start July 15. Immediate vigorous intervention by Britain and America appears to be only likelihood of avoiding major war. Nanking would gladly welcome such intervention.[”]

  1. Copy of paraphrased telegram to Dr. Buck from the “Sp[ecial] Agent, Shanghai, China”, July 13. Dr. Buck, authority on agriculture at the University of Nanking, was an adviser of the Treasury Department.↩