793.94/10219: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 23—3:03 p.m.]
233. With the American note to Tokyo of September 2248 in my mind as background, I called today on the Chief of the Far Eastern Section of the Foreign Office and gave him a copy of that note (Radio Bulletin No. 221) making clear that I did so solely for his information and as an act of friendly courtesy. He said that he was very glad to have it as “he himself was just about to compose a note to Tokyo”. He added that Germany had already protested formally to Japan over the proposed bombing of Nanking. He believed that the Japanese objective in such an action was to present a visible disruption of Chinese relations with the powers.
[Page 548]Von Schmieden asserted that the German policy of “neutrality” had in no way changed, that the most extended position Berlin had taken was formally to notify China and Japan that they would be held responsible for destruction of German life or property. I asked him if the Angriff article (Embassy’s 232, September 22, 10 a.m. [1 p.m.]49) correctly interpreted German policy. While not formally admitting this he replied that “he was very glad to see the article appear”. He added that the Japanese were causing considerable annoyance by radio propaganda in China to the effect that the German-Japanese Treaty meant that Germany stood with Japan in the latter’s activities.
The British Ambassador had intimated to me that the British Government was officially keeping the German Government informed respecting British action in the Far East which might have aspects of a certain concert in action. Von Schmieden was noncommittal on this score but said that contacts were maintained between representatives of the powers at Tokyo and showed me as an example copies of certain correspondence between Ambassadors at that post.
With respect to the invitation extended to Germany to participate in the League Advisory Committee, Von Schmieden informed me that Germany’s refusal had been transmitted in the usual oral manner through the German Consul General at Geneva and was based on the customary reason of this being a League activity.50 I told him that I assumed that whether or not Germany would be willing to cooperate in any manner other than with a League body was purely hypothetical which he said was the case.
Copies by mail to London, Geneva, Paris.
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 504.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Cf. telegram No. 325, September 23, 5 p.m., vol. iv, p. 32.↩