893.01 Manchuria/1499: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
Hankow, February 22,
1938—noon.
[Received February 22—7 a.m.]
[Received February 22—7 a.m.]
118. Following statement is published in Hankow press 22d.
“Hankow, February 21. A spokesman of the German Embassy issued the following statement today:
The declaration of German Chancellor Adolf Hitler made on February 20 before the Reichstag reveals clearly that the recognition of Manchukuo by Germany in no way can be interpreted as an act directed against China. The reasons for the recognition are as follows:
- (1)
- Germany wants to disassociate herself from the policy of the League of Nations;
- (2)
- Germany intends to base her policy on facts and realities. She believes that this is the best for all peoples;
- (3)
- Germany is determined now as before to remain neutral in the present conflict in East Asia and to maintain her traditional friendship towards China;
- (4)
- Germany has no political or territorial designs in East Asia but solely economic;
- (5)
- The German-Japanese relations are based only on the mutual understanding of fighting against Bolshevism.”
Sent to Shanghai. Shanghai please transmit by mail to Tokyo.
Johnson