393.115/655: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 6—9:10 a.m.]
About 5 p.m. yesterday this office received in a plain cover addressed to the American Ambassador to China the following communication dated at Shanghai, June 5, addressed to the American Ambassador to China by Morito Morishima, Counselor of the Japanese Embassy in China:
“Your Excellency, At the request of Vice Admiral K. Oikawa, Commander in Chief of the Imperial Japanese China Sea Fleet, I have the honor to communicate to you his statement which is as follows:
1. The Japanese naval authorities consider it regrettable, incidental to the aerial bombardment done by the Japanese naval air forces against Chinese forces in the interior of China, incidents in which loss and damage were accidentally sustained by American properties [Page 333] occurred, unfortunately, in succession since January 1939, whereby, it is feared, giving to the minds of the American people an impression as if the Japanese Navy had had no respect for the properties of third power nationals.
Needless to say, locations of properties of any third power nationals are transmitted to the headquarters of air forces, after having been carefully studied and coordinated upon material information received either from third powers or collected from other sources, who, on their part too, make most careful studies of them. On planning an attack on military objectives, positions of properties belonging to third powers are minutely reviewed beforehand so as to avoid any unforeseen damage to them.
2. On the other hand the Japanese forces have been greatly harrassed by the attacks of the Chinese forces either under the shelter of properties of third power nationals or by flagrantly using third power national flags.
3. It is presumed that the American authorities have already been informed that on 1st May 1939, a Japanese military sentry on duty was fired upon and was injured in the proximity of the premises of the Lingnan University, an American organization, in the southern part of Canton, and that again on the very next day at 7 p.m., 2 May, a Japanese naval gunboat was fired at from the compounds of the same University.
In connection with the incident on 2 May, the American Consul General at Canton and also the President of the Lingnan University have expressed their sincere regrets that such an incident should have occurred from the presence of an unlawful band and their unlawful use of the university property.
4. An investigation after the capture of Nanchang revealed that along the river front and outside the premises of the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company, situated near the north end of the city, had been constructed barbed wire entanglements. Moreover, beside the front entrance of the said Company and inside the premises were found piles of posts identical to those used at the aforementioned barbed wire entanglements, and yet the company flew an American flag. (Vide: annexes numbers 1 and 2.)
5. On the brick wall adjacent to the building of the American Methodist Episcopal Church, Nanchang, were constructed a number of loopholes for firing as well as strategical mounds. However, this brick wall is a continuation of that of the American Methodist Episcopal Church, and an American flag was painted on it at a point just where the two properties divided; thus giving an appearance from a distance as if the whole length belonged to the above church.
Moreover, on the front of the above church facing Kan River, a pillbox was constructed. On the south, adjacent to the American Methodist Episcopal Church, is situated the Nanchang Hospital. (Vide: annexes numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.)
6. On the concrete wall of an American residence situated near Tunghu, center of Nanchang City, was described in large characters “down with the Japanese imperialism”. After the entry into the city of the Japanese forces, however, the above words have been scratched out with black ink. (Vide: annex number 9.) Rumors are current that the above-mentioned property is the private residence of the Prefectural Governor of Kiangsi Province.
[Page 334]7. Despite the most scrupulous attention of the Japanese naval air forces in carrying on their attacks against Chinese forces, as would be easily perceived from the above examples, some American or any third power national’s properties which were situated in the proximity of the objectives might have become involved sometimes in accidental losses or damage.
It is earnestly requested, therefore, that the American authorities take the above circumstances into full consideration and also take appropriate and effective measures to prevent the Chinese forces from taking any position or constructing anything of military nature in the vicinity of the American properties.
I avail, et cetera.”
There are attached nine annexes consisting of photographs of scenes and of drawings. The original communication with annexes will be mailed to Chungking. The substance of the communication was given out at the afternoon Japanese press conference yesterday and appears in the local English language press this morning.
Sent to Chungking, Peiping and by air mail to Tokyo.