793.94/14901: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:05 p.m.]
765. The Chinese Ambassador Wellington Koo asked to see me this morning and made the following statements to me.
On the 29th day of March, under explicit instructions from his Government, he had called on Léger, Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and had made a series of verbal proposals on behalf of the Chinese Government. On the same day the Chinese Ambassador in London had made similar proposals to the British Government.
[Page 527]Léger had requested him to present the proposals in written form and he had given Léger a confidential memorandum containing them on April 4th. The British Government had not asked for a written proposal but had taken note in writing of the statements of the Chinese Ambassador in London.
Koo then gave me a copy of the memorandum which he had presented to Léger on April 4th.
Inasmuch as it seems to be of the highest importance that these proposals should be kept secret, I cannot telegraph them in a non-confidential code and it would be improper to repeat a written proposal of another government in a confidential code. I will therefore send you a copy of the memorandum in question by pouch tomorrow,94 and submit herewith summary.
The opinion is expressed in the memorandum that Japan is attacking China not only to conquer China but also to eliminate and destroy all influence and interests in the Far East of other powers. The war between China and Japan is regarded as an integral part of the effort of the totalitarian states to overwhelm the democracies.
In the event of war in Europe it is believed that Japan will attack the territorial possessions of France and Great Britain in the Far East.
The Chinese Government proposes in view of the threat of war in Europe that there should be immediate practical consultation between the French, British and Chinese Governments for joint action in the Far East against Japanese aggression and offers to collaborate fully in the preparation of a plan.
For the purpose of facilitating discussion the Chinese Government presents the following concrete proposals to the French Government.
[Here follows substance of the four proposals, contained in the aide-mémoire from the Chinese Embassy to the Department of State, April 14, page 525.]
When I had read the memorandum I said to the Chinese Ambassador that a most important point seemed to me obscure. The memorandum seemed to be based on the assumption that England and France were already at war with Japan. As this was not the case I should be glad to know why the memorandum had been drawn in this form.
The Chinese Ambassador replied that the entire memorandum was based on the premise that war certainly would break out in Europe and would be followed by a Japanese attack on British and French possessions in the Far East. The Chinese Government was proposing engagements to be taken in advance of war to become effective only in case of war.
[Page 528]In conclusion the Chinese Ambassador said that General Chiang Kai Shek and all the members of the Chinese Government were most hopeful that the President might use his influence to promote favorable consideration of this proposal by the French and British Governments. He went on to say that on the 12th of April he had called on Léger to ask for the opinion of the French Government with regard to the proposals contained in his memorandum of April 4. He had received the reply that owing to intense preoccupation with affairs in Europe it had been impossible for the French Government to give the Chinese proposal proper consideration.
The Chinese Ambassador in London had received nothing but the reply that the British Government regarded the proposal as intensely interesting and the promise that it would be given careful study.
The Chinese Ambassador ended his conversation by remarking that he had come to see me because he had received a communication from Chiang Kai Shek instructing him to ask me to assist him in furthering the project.
- Notation on margin: “Letter to the Secretary of State April 18, 1939”; not found in Department files.↩