Office of the Historian

793.94 Advisory Committee/170: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)50

Washington, August 4, 1939—7 p.m.

152. Your 471, July 28, 10 a.m.

1.
If you deem it advisable that acknowledgment be made, please do so appropriately to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that, with reference to the Council’s resolution of May 27, 1939, the Department has received a copy of this resolution and is giving careful [Page 345] consideration, in the light of various factors involved, to the question of taking such action pursuant thereto as may be appropriate and practicable. Please add that, in this connection, the considerations set forth in the Foreign Ministry’s note under acknowledgment will be kept in mind.
2.
If the acknowledgment under reference is made, the Department suggests that in your discretion you offer orally, when a suitable opportunity presents itself, the following observations: The Department has on numerous occasions announced publicly this country’s unreserved condemnation of the bombing of civilian populations from the air and in July of last year it expressed to manufacturers and exporters of airplanes and aeronautical equipment in this country its disapproval of the export of aeronautical supplies to countries the armed forces of which are engaged in such bombing; American manufacturers and exporters of aeronautical supplies are cooperating fully; the American Government has made repeated representations to the Japanese Government in regard to the aerial bombardment of American properties in China; the Department has issued numerous public statements in regard to the subject; and the American press has with but few if any exceptions carried reports of bombings of American properties in China.
3.
For your confidential information, the Department has taken no action on the League communication under reference other than to make an acknowledgment thereof.

Sent to Chungking. Repeated to Peiping.

Welles
  1. The Ambassador’s telegram No. 492, August 9, 11 a.m., reported oral delivery of the substance of this telegram to the Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs (793.94 Advisory Committee 171).↩