793.94/9519: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss)
249. Nanking’s 474, August 20, 6 p.m. [a.m.] to Shanghai which was repeated to the Department, and previous regarding notification by Chinese military authorities and Foreign Office of an impending attack on Japanese warships.
Realizing that the Commander-in-Chief is in a difficult and extremely delicate position, and confident that he will exercise utmost discretion and forbearance, Department nevertheless, after consultation with Chief of Naval Operations and with his full approval, calls attention to Department’s telegram No. 138, August 10, noon, to Nanking81 which, with knowledge and approval of the Navy and War Departments, conveyed Department’s concept of the mission [Page 434] of the United States armed forces in China, and which carried instruction for repetition to Shanghai and other offices. The Department assumes that contents of that telegram were brought to the attention of the commanding officers of American armed forces.
You and the Commander-in-Chief will realize that this Government, while desiring that its nationals be protected, also desires to avoid becoming in any way involved in the conflict which is going on between the Chinese and Japanese, or in interference with their military operations. Therefore, it is assumed that, while remaining intent on the mission of protecting American nationals, our armed forces will to as great an extent as possible avoid coming into or remaining in line of fire between Japanese and Chinese armed forces and, if in such line of fire, will not make assumption that fire is being deliberately directed against them unless such is with reasonable clearness the case.
This is not an instruction or an order; it represents an effort to be of assistance to you and the Commander-in-Chief in connection with the many difficult problems which confront you.
Please bring the above to the attention of the Commander-in-Chief at once.