Office of the Historian

793.94/12176: Telegram

The Third Secretary of Embassy in China (Allison) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, January 22, 1938—noon.
[Received 8:56 p.m.]

32. Embassy’s January 21, noon67 and Tokyo’s 39, January 19, noon. In my January 8 [5], 4 p.m.68 from Wuhu it was reported [Page 49] that during the first week of occupation Japanese soldiers engaged in “ruthless treatment and slaughter of civilians and wanton looting and destruction of private property”. In a later report January 9, 1938, a copy of which was addressed to Tokyo, left Nanking for Shanghai on January 10, a detailed report was given of conditions in Wuhu, including as an enclosure a copy of an account prepared by an American missionary concerning Japanese actions in that city.69

In my January 6, 5 p.m.70 I reported that local American residents had told “an appalling story of wanton killing of civilian Chinese and violation of women, some taking place in American property” and in my 27, January 18, 4 p.m.71 further instances were given of the taking by force of women from American property. I have not deemed it advisable to send full details of such atrocities by telegraph but a detailed report is being prepared which will shortly be forwarded by safe means to Shanghai.72 It can be said, however, that such facts as reported in Tokyo’s telegram under reference have been fully authenticated here and that this office has on file written statements from responsible American citizens testifying to the absolutely barbarous action of Japanese troops, whose officers made no apparent effort to control them, after the occupation of Nanking.

While conditions have improved, discipline has not yet been completely restored and we continue to receive from American residents a daily average of three or four reports of rape or attempted rape within the refugee zone. How many cases take place without commanding the attention of these Americans it is impossible to say. The Japanese are now making an attempt to get Chinese refugees to return to their homes outside the refugee zone but there is considerable reluctance to do so inasmuch as many of those who have returned have been robbed, raped and in several cases bayoneted to death by Japanese soldiers. Records of such cases are on file at this office.

Sent to Embassy [at] Hankow, Peiping, Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.

Allison
  1. Not found in Department files.↩
  2. Vol. iv, p. 219.↩
  3. Neither printed.↩
  4. Vol. iv, p. 221.↩
  5. Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 567.↩
  6. Not printed.↩