793.94/13200: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 12—8:10 a.m.]
285. Your 172, June 11, 2 p.m.57 My 278, June 8, 3 p.m., had reference to the situation described in my 33, December 13, 4 p.m.,58 distribution of foreigners, location of foreign property and shipping remains today as it was then. French is only Concession which today remains intact. French have erected gates, barbed wire entanglements around boundaries and have now stationed 250 soldiers within Concession. They have one small sloop and one small gunboat [Page 352] anchored off Concession and intend to hold Concession, preventing entry of unauthorized Japanese or Chinese in case of emergency or in event fighting extends into this area.
It is locally expected that Americans and others whose property is not located in French Concession, or who are not resident in French Concession can remain in their places of residence, but if an emergency arises and it should appear necessary for protection of life to evacuate foreigners from Hankow onto ships in the river, present plan is to concentrate in French Concession for purposes of evacuation of foreigners. This is a change from previous plan which had been devised in 1932. This plan does not, however, nullify advisability of again reminding the Japanese of the presence of foreigners, their property and their shipping in the area generally described in my 33, December 13, 4 p.m. I have furnished colleagues with a copy of my 278, June 8, 3 p.m. and understand that they also are recommending similar action in Tokyo. I repeat this plan has nothing to do with emergency evacuation scheme apparently referred to by Hankow office of National City Bank. Every effort will be made to afford naval protection to all American property in this area provided it does not interfere with the primary mission of protecting lives.
Sent to the Department only.
- Not printed.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1937, vol. iv, p. 401.↩