793.94/9373: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State
Nanking
, August
14, 1937—11 p.m.
[Received August 14—4:40 p.m.]
[Received August 14—4:40 p.m.]
434. Embassy’s 432, August 14, 8 p.m. and 431, August 14, 6 p.m.
- 1.
- Donald telephoned at 10 p.m. and said that the Generalissimo was taking a very serious view of the dropping of bombs by Chinese planes today in the International Settlement, the pilots responsible were being called up for court martial and instructions were being issued against any further flying by Chinese military planes over the foreign areas. He said that according to Chiang’s information the planes in question had as objectives the Japanese naval vessels in the river and when in the course of diving they flattened out over the neighborhood of the Cathay Mansion Hotel they were damaged by anti-aircraft guns and bombs were loosened and dropped. There were three Northrop planes engaged, two of them landed in Hongkew due to the damage incurred and the pilots are in hospital.
- 2.
- He added that Chiang’s headquarters had received a report that 11 Japanese planes from Formosa this afternoon raided Hangchow but the damage was not great and Chinese planes which engaged them brought down 2 of the heavy bombers.
- 3.
- Sent to the Department, Shanghai.
Johnson