393.1123 Nyhus, Phoebe/14: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 1—3 a.m.]
698. Department’s 278, October 27, 6 p.m. to Chungking, Nyhus case. An essential garble in Chungking’s 520, October 29, 11 a.m., having been straightened out by two telephone conversations with Gauss today, I made emphatic representations to the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs after repeated efforts to see the Foreign Minister had failed. I said to Sawada that I regarded this as an extremely serious case because it involved not only the bombing of American property but the loss of American life; that it was only a wonder that greater loss of life had not occurred through the repeated bombings of American property in China ever since the hostilities began and that unless effective steps were taken to prevent such attacks in future that risk of further incidents of this nature would be continual, and I pointed out to him the deplorable effect which the inevitable publicity concerning the Nyhus incident would exert on American public opinion.
My oral representations were supported by a signed note addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and couched in very strong terms.33
The Vice Minister after listening to my presentation said: “I agree with you that this is a very serious incident” and promised an immediate investigation.
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 627. For the Japanese reply, dated December 26, see ibid., p. 632.↩