394.1123 Thomson, J. C./29: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 22—9:25 a.m.]
481. Department’s 249, July 18, 7 p.m.,29 Thomson incident. In my interview today with the Minister for Foreign Affairs emphatic oral representations were made, supported by an aide-mémoire, the text of which is given below.
I explained the details of the case fully to the Minister, telling him of the condition in which Dr. Thomson arrived at our Embassy immediately after the incident as described by Allison and expressing my personal view that some of the evidence presented could only be regarded as unprejudiced. There was no doubt whatsoever in our minds that the incident had occurred precisely as stated.
[Page 413]General Ugaki stated with equal emphasis that this and other similar incidents did not reflect the attitude of the Japanese soldiery towards foreigners and, he added, especially not towards Americans. These incidents must be ascribed to the abnormal psychology of Japanese soldiers who are away from home in sometimes very difficult circumstances. He himself had been a soldier in the Russo-Japanese war and was thoroughly familiar with the psychological strain of such situations. I said that I recognized that such a strain exists but that this could not excuse such assaults on American citizens and I felt it to be of the utmost importance that word should be passed all the way down the line from the highest officers to the lowest soldiers that such incidents must not take place. I added that our Government is under great public pressure with regard to the Thomson and similar incidents and that the Department will probably have to make public its position and record in regard to this case. The Minister said that he would give most careful consideration to my statement and added that “more attention must be given to this subject”.
Text of our aide-mémoire follows:
Aide-Mémoire
The American Embassy refers to its aide-mémoire dated June 20, 1938,30 and, acting under instructions from its Government, has the honor to state that a month has elapsed since the American Government was informed that Dr. J. C. Thomson, an American citizen, was slapped by a Japanese sentry at Nanking on June 15. Endeavors to arrange a local settlement of the incident at Nanking having proved ineffectual, this matter was brought to the attention of the Japanese Government on June 20 with a view to arranging a satisfactory settlement in accord with the facts and circumstances of the case.
On the basis of information submitted to the American Government, no doubt is entertained by the American Government that the incident, as described by Dr. Thomson and as supported by evidence, occurred and the American Government has therefore requested that the guilty soldier be punished, that an expression of regret be tendered, and that measures be taken to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate and uncalled for incidents. In every particular, the Japanese authorities have, on the basis of evidence which the American Government finds unacceptable, rejected Dr. Thomson’s version of the incident. The conclusion suggested by the statements made by the Japanese authorities is that Dr. Thomson, without cause, chose wilfully to bring false charges against a Japanese sentry. In the light not only of the circumstances and all evidence but of the known character of Dr. Thomson this seems to the American Government altogether improbable.
As a result of the consideration by the American Government of Thomson incident and other incidents of a similar character, the American Government has reluctantly formed the opinion [Page 414] that these incidents cannot be regarded as unrelated phenomena. They appear to represent an attitude of mind and state of feeling which cannot be but a cause of grave concern. The American Government has on a prior occasion expressed the view that the causes and circumstances which give rise to incidents of the character under consideration might readily have been prevented if the Japanese authorities were to impress upon the Japanese soldiery the importance and propriety of maintaining at all times an attitude of civility toward American nationals and noncombatants in general. The American Government now wishes to reaffirm that view.
Animated by a desire to avoid exacerbation of feeling between Japanese and Americans, the American Government has sought a settlement of Thomson incident not only with a view to bringing to a satisfactory close that unfortunate incident but also in the belief that prompt and equitable settlement of the incident along the lines requested would contribute materially toward the prevention of similar incidents with their inevitably unfortunate effect upon American feeling.
The foregoing views are brought to the attention of the Japanese authorities in the hope that, in giving them consideration, they will be motivated by a seriousness of purpose commensurate with that which prompts the American Government to state them. Tokyo, July 21, 1938.
Shanghai please repeat to Hankow and Nanking.