793.94/14276a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
373. 1. The Department believes that the time has come for this Government to take up with the Japanese Government the whole broad question of freedom of navigation on the Yangtze River. This question, in so far as navigation on the lower Yangtze is concerned, was referred to in your note of October 6 to the Japanese Government56 on the subject of the Open Door. Japanese armed forces have now advanced up the Yangtze River to Hankow and there are no longer major hostilities on the river or along the banks of the river below Hankow. Japanese ships in large numbers have proceeded up the river to Hankow and there were present at Hankow on October 31 according to this Government’s information 2 mine layers, 3 gunboats, 3 torpedo boats, 2 mine sweepers, 2 auxiliaries, 23 transports, 12 tugs, 2 tankers, 20 supply ships, 1 hospital ship and approximately 600 small craft. Moreover, Japanese armed forces, following their arrival at Hankow, have had ample time in which to systematize the movement of Japanese national vessel on the river.
While active hostilities were taking place on sections of the Yangtze River below Hankow, we refrained from exercising our right to freedom of navigation of the river. We now consider that it is only reasonable that the Japanese Government should no longer place obstacles in the way of the exercise of this American right. The Yangtze River is the main artery of communication in central China. It is a highly important channel for the movement of persons, goods, and vessels. It is a river of width sufficient to take care of the traffic needs of all concerned. Under present circumstances this Government perceives no reasonable basis in support of restriction by the Japanese Government of the free use of this river.
2. The Department desires that you take this matter up vigorously and in person at the earliest opportune moment with the Minister for Foreign Affairs along the general lines indicated above. The question whether your presentation should be by formal note or orally [Page 196] is left to your discretion. If the presentation is oral, please leave with the Minister for Foreign Affairs an informal memorandum as record of what you say. This Government will not be satisfied with a reply of an indefinite character and you should press for a favorable reply which will include the naming of an early date after which the Japanese Government will place no obstacles in the way of freedom of navigation on the Yangtze River below Hankow.57
3. The Department is informing the British and French Governments through our Embassies in London and in Paris of the approach which you have been instructed to make. The Department suggests that in your discretion you withhold your approach for a few days to ascertain whether your British and French colleagues receive instructions to make similar but separate representations.
Shanghai please inform the Commander-in-Chief.
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 785.↩
- For Ambassador Grew’s action, see his telegram No. 710, November 7, 5 p.m., p. 80.↩