761.93 Manchuria/169: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2 p.m.]
239. My 238, August 7, midnight. Following is translation of Tass communiqué published this morning:
[Here follows a lengthy report of conversation between the Japanese Ambassador and the Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs on August 7, in which the positions stated by each were substantially a reiteration of those reported in previous telegrams.]
The [Japanese] Ambassador promised to consider the contents of the conversation which had taken place and to revert thereto. Thereupon Comrade Litvinov made the following declaration to the Ambassador:
At the same time that the Japanese Government had advanced proposals concerning the cessation of military operations on one portion of the frontier, on another portion and this time in the regions of Grodekovo a Japanese company with three machine guns suddenly attacked the Soviet border detachment guarding height 588.3 situated on Soviet territory and occupied it. The Soviet reinforcements which came up were fired upon by machine guns on the part of the Japanese company, which having fled to Manchuria territory left on the height 10 Japanese grenades and 50 used grenade cases. During the fight several Red Army men were killed and wounded. There were obviously killed and wounded also on the Japanese side. After numerous protests in connection with similar incidents it would be useless to limit oneself to a new protest. In view of the foregoing it appears essential to declare that the Soviet Government does not [Page 474] intend in the future to permit the unpunished, periodic killing and wounding of its border guards nor the even temporary occupation of Soviet territory by Japan forces and that it fully intends in the future in similar instances to use the most severe measures, including: the use of artillery and aviation. Let the Japanese Government oblige the Kwantung and Korean Armies to respect the existing frontier. It is time to put an end to the endless “incidents” and dashes on the frontier.
Insofar as the Embassy is aware, the Soviet press has published no account of the incident in the vicinity of Grodekovo referred to by Litvinov in the above communiqué.
Today’s Pravda prints under the title “Japan’s Militarism is Drawing Japan into a War with the Soviet Union” the first important editorial which has appeared in the Soviet press devoted exclusively to actual conflict in the Far East. This editorial after reviewing the course of events since the 29th or improving the Soviet version thereof and the diplomatic conversations which have taken place between Shigemitsu and Litvinov since that date reiterates the Soviet position as outlined in the above communiqué. After announcing that Soviet territory has been cleared of the remnants of the Japanese forces, the editorial inquires rhetorically what guarantees there are that the Japanese militarism will not renew its attack and states “therefore if the Japanese Government is in fact animated, as the Japanese Ambassador declared on August 4th, by peaceful intentions, then it must give clear and precise guarantees that the attacks on Soviet territory will not be repeated.” After repeating the Soviet conditions for a solution of this conflict the editorial emphasizes that the Soviet Government however has not consented and will not consent to a reexamination of the frontier. In conclusion the editorial states inter alia that “there can be no doubt but that the popular masses of Japan and also those elements of the ruling camp who soberly evaluate the international and internal situation of their country are not interested in war with the Soviet Union. One must believe that the Japanese militarists know this well. But evidently precisely for that reason the adversaries who are striving at all costs to involve Japan in a war with the Soviet Union are proceeding further and further in provocative activities.”