793.94/9283: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 11—4 a.m.]
445. My August 9, 11 p.m. Chinese and Japanese versions of the incident which occurred yesterday evening near the Hungjao Aerodrome are conflicting and it has thus far proved impossible for independent and impartial investigators to check on the details of what actually occurred.
- 2.
- The official statement issued by the Japanese naval landing
party as quoted by the press is to the effect that at about 5
o’clock yesterday evening sub-Lieutenant Ohyama was motoring
along Monument Road, an extra-Settlement road, with seaman Saito
at the wheel. The statement continues:
“The automobile was suddenly surrounded by members of the Peace Preservation Corps who fired upon the automobile with machine guns and rifles. Sub-Lieutenant Ohyama was killed outright, many bullets lodging in his body—the entire picture was one of extreme brutality by members of the Peace Preservation Corps. Monument Road is an extension road of the International Settlement of Shanghai and foreigners have free use of it. The Chinese have recently constructed defense works and sandbag barricades, and set land mines around Shanghai. At night people were prevented by the military from using the road. Even in the daytime, the military dared to search the passersby threatening the latter with pistols. These actions on the part [Page 366] of the Chinese clearly formed not only a violation of the Shanghai truce agreement but also presented an insult to the foreign residents of the International Settlement. Such actions were clearly of a provocative, illegal and anti-Japanese nature on the part of the Chinese—the special naval landing party of the Imperial Japanese navy is now ready to seek a thorough solution of the incident. While assuming a fair and firm attitude it will demand that the Chinese authorities bear the responsibility for this illegal act.”
- 3.
- The Chinese version as issued by the Central News Agency is that two Japanese officers riding in a motor car insisted on entering the Hungjao Airfield despite warnings from the Chinese guards and that when the guards attempted to stop the car the Japanese opened fire with their pistols. The guards it is said did not return the fire as they had no orders to do so but members of the Peace Preservation Corps in the vicinity hearing the firing rushed to the scene “for the purpose of investigating. The Japanese officers opened fire on the Paoantui members killing one of them. The Paoantui members returned the fire in self-defense, killing one of the two Japanese instantly and hitting the other who immediately took to his heels but before he could run very far he collapsed and died of wounds”. The Japanese this morning also confirm the death of seaman Saito.
- 4.
- The press further reports that Mayor Yui called at the Japanese Consulate General at 10 o’clock last night and expressed profound regret over the incident but is said to have called attention to the fact that the Chinese authorities had on many occasions lodged protests with the Japanese naval landing party concerning repeated Japanese spying at the Aerodrome and to have asserted that this incident grew out of a similar attempt. He is also said to have expressed the hope that the Japanese would maintain a calm attitude.
- 5.
- From reliable Japanese sources it is learned that at a conference of Japanese consular and naval officials last night it was agreed that every effort should be made to settle the incident by negotiations and that the naval landing party would take no action for the time being. Landing party did not rush out patrols last night and have taken no special measures. In consequence the extremely tense atmosphere of last night has eased somewhat this morning; both the Chinese and Japanese press have refrained from printing sensational accounts of the affair. The civic center and the Kiangwan area were closed last night following the incident but traffic has been resumed although barricades are reported still in place on some roads. An American’s Chinese servant who was hit by stray bullet last night has since died.
Repeated to Department and Peiping. By mail to Nanking.