Office of the Historian

793.94/9228: Telegram

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

Tokyo, August 7, 1937—2 p.m.
[Received August 7—6:45 a.m.]

252. My 251, August 6, 9 [10] p.m. The British Chargé d’Affaires is today telegraphing his Government substantially as follows:

(a)
Hirota has already made it clear in the Diet that any attempt at mediation would be rejected. Although the British Government has already tendered its good offices Dodds believes that another offer along the lines proposed by London would do no harm. If, however, [Page 351] any cause were given for the Japanese to believe that such new offer were made primarily in the interests of China there would be violent adverse reaction in Japan.
(b)
The massacre at Tungchow has not put the Japanese people in a mood to consider proposals of peace.
(c)
Although intelligent Japanese look with distaste upon war with China the military consider the moment opportune for further development of expansionist plans in China and have no conception of the dangers into which they are running.
(d)
Dodds believes that there is nevertheless some basis for hope that proposal would have useful effect.

He is reporting to London that I substantially agree with him and am recommending action on lines of British proposal but only as an informal confidential and exploratory step.

Repeated to Nanking.

Grew