793.94/15058: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 29—12:08 p.m.]
In the course of a conversation with British Ambassador today latter informed me that the Generalissimo was anxious to see me in Chungking; Generalissimo had two ideas which he doubtless would communicate to me:
- (1)
- That economic measures taken by British and Americans at this time would have a controlling effect upon Japanese, even to point of stopping Japanese activities in China;
- (2)
- That the Japanese were anxious to make peace; that the Japanese were prepared to withdraw forces from Central China provided Chinese stopped fighting; that Chiang was prepared to stop fighting if and when Japanese withdrew; that difficulty lay in knowing when Japanese would withdraw and that the Japanese were prepared to accept mediatory offices at the hands of British and Americans.
I told British Ambassador that in my opinion economic measures against Japan on the part of the United States were doubtful; that while I had seen no Japanese during my visit in Japan, such information as I had through people in American Embassy and Consulates there indicated that Japanese Government was in no way interested in ending military operations in China; that it was the opinion of our people in Japan that economic measures against Japan would very likely precipitate Japanese action directed either at us or the British or the Dutch East Indies. I said that as regards mediation I am convinced that the Japanese Government was not prepared to accept mediation in the face of continued confidence of Japanese military in the success of their movement here.
Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.