Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/10271: Telegram

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

Tokyo, September 27, 1937—5 p.m.
[Received September 27—6:25 a.m.]

421. Embassy’s 420, September 27, 4 p.m.⁵⁶

1. My British colleague tells me that in his talk today with the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs the latter informed him definitely that there would be no further bombing of Nanking after September 25. Horinouchi also said that a Japanese admiral had been sent from Tokyo a few days ago to caution the Japanese Commander in Chief in Shanghai to issue more explicit orders to navy plane pilots that only Chinese military establishments should be attacked and that all non-military points must be scrupulously avoided. Another Japanese naval officer has been sent on the same mission to the Commander of the Japanese Third Flotilla in South China.

2. This information considered in connection with Hirota’s interview with the Emperor on the morning after my oral representations to the former on September 20 convinces both Craigie and myself that the Japanese Government is becoming increasingly disturbed by the impressions created in our respective countries by the indiscriminate bombing operations on the part of irresponsible Japanese pilots in China.

Repeated to Shanghai.

Grew

56. Not printed. It contained British protest to Japan against the bombing of Nanking (793.94/10276).