393.115/659: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
Chungking, June 12, 1939—11
a.m.
[Received June 12—9:02 a.m.]
[Received June 12—9:02 a.m.]
381. Reference Peiping’s despatch Number 2048, May 13,82 location of American properties Chungking.
- 1.
- For the second time in June Japanese planes raided Chungking on the 11th at 7:20 p.m., dropping numerous demolition and incendiary bombs at random throughout the city and nearby countryside. Casualties and property damage appear to have been alright [slight?]. No injury to American life and property appears to have been sustained.
- 2.
- The Embassy desires to point out, however, that a number of Japanese planes flew over the Embassy office and Embassy residential quarters on the south bank and over the U. S. S. Tutuila near the south bank of the Yangtze River; that bombs fell on three sides of the Embassy office and American gunboat, the nearest exploding about 300 yards down river from the gunboat and 400 yards from the office while 2 others fell about a half a mile beyond the Embassy office on the side of the first range of mountains; that the latter 2 bombs fell within 400 yards of the residence of Secretaries Drumright and Weil in the first range of mountains; and further that a number of bombs fell in the immediate vicinity of the installation of the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company situated up stream also on the south bank of the Yangtze. In this area there are many foreign residences and a considerable Chinese population largely refugees from across the river. So far as the Embassy can ascertain there are no Chinese military establishments in the vicinity of the Embassy office or this residential district.
Repeated to Peiping, Shanghai, Hankow, for information only. Peiping mail to Tokyo.
Peck
- Not printed.↩