793.94/13846: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Johnson )
Washington
, September 9, 1938—5 p.m.
245. Tokyo’s 577, September 5, 3 p.m., Hankow’s September 7, 3 p.m.,91 and your 439, September 9, 11 a.m., in regard to Hankow safety zone.
- 1.
- The Department is authorizing the Embassy, Tokyo, to reply to the Japanese note verbale of September 3 in the sense that the American Government fully expects that the Japanese authorities will so conduct their military activities in China as to avoid injury to American life and property and that the American authorities naturally cannot assume any responsibility to either side for actions or undertakings of the other side.
- 2.
- The Department believes that we should adopt the same attitude toward the Chinese authorities. Please give the Department your opinion as to whether we could with propriety specifically urge the Chinese authorities to avoid military activities in or adjacent to the specified area at Hankow that would give the Japanese authorities reason or excuse for attacking that area on the grounds outlined in the Japanese note quoted in Tokyo’s 577, September 5, 3 p.m. You may care to consult the Military Attaché92 on this point. Please also give the Department your views in regard to this whole problem, including suggestions for any feasible measures having for their object the safeguarding of Americans at Hankow.
Repeat to Hankow, Tokyo and Shanghai.
Hull