793.94/9498: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 19—7:30 a.m.]
470. With reference to my telegram 468, August 19, 3 p.m., I have just addressed the following letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs59 which letter quotes text of oral communication quoted in my telegram above referred to and says:
“I have lost no time in communicating this information to my Government and to the Commander in Chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet now at Shanghai, but I must inform you, and through you, the military authorities of the Chinese Government, that American naval vessels are present in the Whangpoo River for the purpose of protecting the lives of American citizens. They have no hostile intent against the forces of China or any other power. To request them to [Page 266] leave their present positions and to give up the protection of citizens of the United States legitimately residing in Shanghai, is an impossibility.
As I have stated above, United States naval vessels will use their guns in self defense, if attacked or otherwise endangered; and I must hold the Chinese Government responsible for any damage which may result.
We are at this moment exercising every effort to evacuate American women and children from Shanghai. Tenders are leaving the customs jetty tomorrow morning and will be occupied all day conveying American women and children to the S. S. Hoover, which will be anchored near the mouth of the Whangpoo, and I must ask that every precaution be given, both to those people, to the area of the Settlement south of Soochow Creek where they have taken refuge, and to the merchant ships in or out of the harbor.”
My 468, August 19, 3 p.m. repeated to Tokyo. Sent to Shanghai. Repeated to Department and Tokyo.
- In telegram No. 476, August 20, 11 a.m., the Ambassador in China transmitted the text of a similar reply from the British Ambassador to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (793.94/9542).↩