761.94/1037: Telegram
The First Secretary of Embassy in China ( Salisbury ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 20—2 a.m.]
245. Following from American Consulate General at Harbin.
“April 15, 5 p.m. Reliable Japanese and official Soviet sources independently stated that several days ago about 10 Japanese armed planes from the Korean garrison violated the Soviet frontier near Hunchun. One was grounded, perhaps shot down, and is being held by the Soviet authorities. The unarmed mail plane captured in December in Manchuria has never been released.
North bound Japanese troop movements indicate a possible crisis, although they may be spring transfers. The press has not mentioned this incident and is relatively quiet regarding Russia in general.
Virtually all news items regarding military activities in China have been suppressed, and no foreign newspapers from Tientsin and Shanghai have been received since April 5.”