393.1163/853: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
355. Reference Shanghai’s despatch No. 1686, September 16, 1938,15 entitled “American Properties Bombed by Japanese since May 1, 1938”.
The Department desires that, in such manner as you may deem appropriate, you transmit to the Japanese Foreign Office a list based on the enclosure to the despatch under reference, giving the names of the owners, the dates of notification of the location of properties and of the furnishing of maps to the Japanese and the dates of bombing but omitting mention of individual protests. You should point out that the list gives only those instances which have come to the attention of the Shanghai Consulate General during a period of less than 4 months and does not include the many other instances of the bombing of American properties by Japanese planes in north, central and south China; and that in 25 of the 29 cases listed the Japanese authorities had been furnished—in some instances only a few days before the bombing occurred—with maps or other information describing the exact location of the properties bombed.
Please refer to the Japanese communications to you referred to in your 657, October 12, 10 a.m.,16 and 664, October 13, 4 p.m.,17 in regard to new Japanese military activities in south China and say that in relation thereto the American Government is all the more concerned for the safety of American lives and property in the area of those activities because of the indiscriminate bombings listed notwithstanding and in utter disregard of repeated assurances given by the Japanese authorities that they will respect American lives and properties. Say that the list is presented as evidence of the urgent need for renewed and effective steps on the part of the Japanese Government to the end that the Japanese armed forces in China may exercise scrupulous care to avoid injury to American lives and property, and earnestly request that such steps be taken.
Shanghai repeat to Peiping and Chungking.