793.94/9716: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

526. I have received following telegram from Tientsin:

“August 24, 4 p.m. Joint defense plan referred to in Legation’s despatch to the Department number 848, March 6, 1931,77 is so clearly inapplicable under present conditions that no effort has been made to put it into effect, but Italian Consul, whose Concession is isolated from other Concessions, is urging adoption of modified joint defense plan by the British, French, Italian and American forces. Military commanders have stated that Italian Concession could not be included owing to lack of communication. Italians now urge that Japanese be asked to agree to control by an international force, excluding the Japanese, of a small area between the International Bridge and the Italian Concession but excluding the East Station. This is part of Third Special Area and is under Japanese control, but at the moment contains only police, Japanese troops being stationed in immediately adjoining parts of the Third Special Area, all of which was put under martial law temporarily by the Japanese night before last. I have agreed only to refer the proposal to the Embassy for instructions. I do not believe that the Japanese would agree to such a proposal and doubt the wisdom and necessity of making such a request.

This brings up the question of cooperation of American forces with the British, French, and Italian forces in joint defense measures in case there should be further serious disorder here. During the present trouble the British, French, and Italian troops have each patrolled their own Concessions only; the American troops have encircled their own barracks and adjacent American homes in the First Special Area, and when no police were on duty sent mounted patrols through that area and posted detachments at American homes and business establishments in the First and Third Special Areas. The American barracks, although in the First Special Area, adjoin[ing] the British area, are covering a section of the British boundary and making inevitable certain cooperation with the British, which, aside from that fact, would be necessary owing to the presence of this Consulate General and of many American residents in the British area. I should appreciate receiving any instructions which the Embassy or the Department may see fit to give in regard to not only the question raised by the Italians but also the matter of a new joint defense plan and cooperation of the American forces with the British, French, and [Page 284] Italian forces. The key question is whether in case of serious disorder the Concessions, or at least the British and French, and the American barracks and immediate vicinity could be considered as a unit for defense purposes, insofar as troops assigned at the discretion of their commanding officer to sectors other than the immediate vicinity of their barracks and American property outside the Concessions.”

And have sent following reply:

“August 26, 10 a.m. Your August 24, 4 p.m.

Problem presented is so complicated by local requirements that I feel I must be guided by you in cooperation with Commanding Officer of 15th Infantry. In reaching a decision you should be guided by Department’s 138, August 10, noon, repeated to you August 18, 8 a.m.

The primary function of American armed forces at Tientsin is to provide special protection for American nationals. I understand that most American nationals live either in First Special Area or in British Concession. In case of emergency it would seem to me that some arrangement should be reached between you and the British whereby American nationals could be concentrated for safety in the British Concession, our forces cooperating with the British at least to the point of relieving British of the necessity of protecting American nationals until they could be evacuated if necessary to a place of safety. I must leave to you and to the Commanding Officer of the 15th Infantry the conduct of the operations for which you are respectively responsible, using each your own best judgment, keeping in mind the principles laid down in Department’s telegram No. 138 of August 10, noon.

Repeated to Peiping.”

Johnson
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