Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/8837: Telegram

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

Tokyo, July 19, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received July 19—11 a.m.]

211. My 208, July 17, 7 p.m.

1. We are informed by Yoshizawa of the Foreign Office that the Chinese 29th Army has not proposed to the Japanese military any alteration in the terms of the so-called agreement of July 11; that General Sung Che Yuan, as the ranking officer of the 29th Army, had tendered an apology to the Japanese commander in fulfillment of one of the terms of that agreement. He also stated that the Japanese are on the alert to see whether the other terms will be carried out but that complete fulfillment will necessarily take some time. It is his estimate that prospects are favorable for a peaceful settlement of the “local situation” in the Peiping area but he stressed that the Japanese military will not consider the situation to have been liquidated until the 29th Army has completely fulfilled the terms of the above-mentioned agreement. He had no comment to make with regard to the Japanese representations at Nanking.

2. The Naval Attaché³⁹ was informed at the Navy Department this afternoon that thus far no troop reenforcements have been sent to North China from Japan proper but that beginning today two vessels would leave Japan daily, one to Fusan and one to Taku, carrying ammunition supply units; that no naval landing force had been sent to China to reenforce landing force already there; and that no vessels have been sent to reenforce the China squadron.

3. The Military Attaché called at the War Office this afternoon and he also was informed that no reenforcements have been sent as yet from Japan to North China. The liaison officer in the War Office stated that no accurate information is available with regard to the size of the Chinese forces south of Paoting and north of the Lunghai Railway but it is believed that such units do not exceed five divisions and that the main forces of the Nanking Government are still well south of that railway. The Military Attaché received the definite impression that the War Office does not believe that the movement of Chinese troops toward the Peiping area has sufficiently progressed to constitute an imminent threat to the safety of the Japanese troops in North China.

Repeated to Peiping.

Grew

39. Capt. Harold M. Bemis.