Office of the Historian

793.94/8861: Telegram

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

Peiping, July 20, 1937—2 p.m.
[Received July 20—5:50 a.m.]

263. Embassy’s 255, July 18, 11 a.m.

1.
The informant referred to in the first paragraph of the above-mentioned telegram, together with some of his associates, visited Sung [Page 219] Che Yuan yesterday. Sung’s statements are given in paragraph 2 of this telegram.
2.
The facts with regard to Sung’s alleged acceptance on July 18 of the agreement of July 11 were (a) Sung and the Japanese expressed mutual regret for the deaths of Japanese and Chinese soldiers, (b) Sung said he would consider the question of punishment of Chinese officers involved, (c) he made no reference to withdrawal of troops, and (d) he informed the Japanese that he had always followed a policy opposed to anti-Japanese and Communist activities. Major General Hashimoto, Chang Tzu Chung and Chen Chueh Sheng are now discussing in Tientsin the definition and details of the terms of the agreement of July 11 (see Embassy’s 230, July 13, 8 p.m.)
3.
A responsible Chinese official under Sung informed the group mentioned in paragraph 1 that Sung is now investigating the attitude of the 29th Army with regard to the scope of the negotiations going on in this connection. Apparently this means that Sung wants to discover how far he can go in making concessions to the Japanese without alienating from himself the 29th Army.
4.
It has been confirmed that the recent amelioration of martial law in Peiping was the result of a request for such amelioration made by the local Japanese Assistant Military Attaché.
5.
Chinese allege that they have no intention of removing from Peiping soldiers of the 37th Division.
6.
The situation in Hopei Province seems to remain approximately unchangeable since my telegram 255, July 18, 11 a.m., except that the Japanese position is becoming stronger militarily. The future of the situation seems still to depend upon those factors mentioned in the final paragraph of that telegram.

Repeated to Nanking and Tokyo.

Johnson