394.115 Panay/205c: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
373. Department has been informed from an official source of indiscreet utterances attributed to a Japanese employee of Japanese Navy to the effect that the sinking of the Panay was deliberately planned, by whom not stated, to bring to light the attitude of the United States as bearing on further Japanese action; that a Japanese Navy ace, Captain Minami, was in charge of the bombing; that Minami is stationed at Sasebo and after the sinking of the Panay returned there; and that there have been planned further similar acts against Great Britain and the United States.