793.94/12384: Telegram
The Third Secretary of Embassy in China ( Allison ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 10—1:44 p.m.]
53. I have just been informed by Bos, of the Netherlands Legation, who has come to Nanking for a few days, that in a conversation this morning with Fukui17 the actions and reports of the foreigners in Nanking were severely criticized. According to Bos, Fukui tried to impress upon him that conditions here were improving daily, that the Japanese soldiers were well under control and that any reports to the contrary made by foreigners were just “anti-Japanese propaganda”.
While it is true that conditions have improved to some extent there are still numerous reports of disorder and violence committed by Japanese soldiers. A similar attempt has been made to impress upon the Japanese authorities that complaints made to them of the actions of Japanese troops are not the result of anti-Japanese feeling but are made in an effort to assist the responsible people to know what is going on and thus put a stop to it. However, with the Acting Japanese Consul General adopting the attitude shown above, constructive work is almost impossible.
Sent to Embassy, Hankow, Peiping and Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.
- Japanese Consul General at Nanking.↩