Office of the Historian

761.93/1678: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)

Washington, October 27, 1939—1 p.m.

209. The Embassy at Moscow, reporting on October 23,94 refers to an article in the Pravda charging Domei with distributing false [Page 303] reports in regard to alleged Soviet demands upon China and observes that it is significant that the article refrains from associating the Japanese Government with its charge and that the article provides a convenient method of denying Soviet pretensions in China. The Embassy states it is informed by the Japanese Embassy that the Soviet-Japanese discussions at Moscow in regard to border demarcation are making little progress. The American Embassy notes also that reports have been received from Japanese and French sources indicating an increase recently in Soviet shipment of war materials to China. The Embassy is of the opinion that the Soviet Union is still desirous of adjusting its relations with Japan so as to avoid complications in the Far East and regards increasing Soviet aid to China as possibly a means of exercising pressure upon Japan in furtherance of Soviet aims.

Sent to Chungking. Identical telegram sent to Tokyo.

Hull
  1. Telegram No. 788, 8 p.m., not printed.↩