393.115/246
The Consul General at Tientsin (Caldwell) to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)76
Sir: As of possible interest to the Embassy, I have the honor to enclose one copy of the Chinese original of a despatch received today ostensibly from the “Headquarters of the First Route Army of the Masses’ Anti-Japanese Forces in North China” at Nanmeng, Pahsien, Hopei, together with an English translation prepared at this office,77 in which the Consulate General is requested to notify Americans to display American flags after March 20 in order that they may be given appropriate protection during positive operations against the Japanese which will begin on that date. The cover in which this communication was received indicates that it was mailed in Tientsin although the place of origin noted on the outside of the envelope is “Nanmeng Church”.
Nanmeng is situated about 50 miles south of Peiping and 30 miles west of Tientsin and only a few miles north of Pahsien District city. The Consulate General has received a number of reports during the past several months that representatives of the 8th Route Army were busy in Pahsien and neighboring districts in an effort to organize the people for guerrilla warfare against the Japanese.
Respectfully yours,