393.1115/1123: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)
281. Your 708, September 24, 3 p.m. Department’s instruction No. 206, September 2, 6 p.m., envisaged our offices in China bringing to the attention of American citizens there the dangers to which they may be subjected in remaining in China during the period of the present emergency, and advising them to withdraw from China while [Page 361] facilities for their withdrawal are still available. The views expressed in that instruction remain unaltered.
The Department realizes that there may exist or might at any time develop in some parts of China situations which would render the evacuation of American nationals from particular areas difficult, impracticable, or extremely dangerous. In the light of such situations, our officers should not urge immediate evacuation at all costs but rather they should quietly advise evacuation when and where feasible.
The Department understands that accommodations are available at Manila (which should be regarded as a concentration point for persons awaiting steamship sailings rather than as a place of final destination) for any number of American refugees likely to go there, and that steamship facilities, although some schedules may be irregular, do exist. The local offices of the Dollar Steamship Lines state that their ships are maintaining regular schedules except for the omission of Shanghai as a port of call. It should be possible to obtain current information in regard to sailings of these and other lines from the Consulate General at Shanghai.
The Department, naturally, at this distance is not in position to instruct you in regard to details of procedure but is confident that the Embassy, in consultation with the consulates concerned and the Commander-in-Chief, will be able to formulate and execute practicable plans for further assisting in withdrawals.