751G.94/169½: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:42 p.m.]
642. Chauvel has just rushed in to show me the latest telegram received from Hanoi. It was sent at 5 a.m. Vichy time today. It reported that surrounded by superior Japanese forces, the French detachment at Langson was compelled to surrender at 6 p.m., September 25. The telegram went on to say that although the Japanese “had been offered our landing facilities at Haiphong they preferred to force an offensive landing and had done so south of Doson.” In addition three waves of Japanese aeroplanes had bombed Haiphong, resulting in 15 deaths. Hanoi reported that the situation both as to the military and naval elements was confused and that these actions were taken entirely contrary to Tokyo’s orders. The telegram added that the French were attempting to establish “peaceful contact” with the elements at Haiphong which had not yet landed.
Chauvel was visibly agitated and indignant. He said that he did not know how much longer the French could attempt to mollify the Japanese and that it was “unprecedented” that the military should disobey Tokyo’s orders where the action concerned a foreign power. I remarked that I knew very little about the Far East but I seemed to recall a great many instances of similar disobedience within the last decade. He added: “As I told you, we have asked the Chinese not to move but we cannot expect them to maintain that attitude very long if this goes on. Also we obviously cannot afford to be at war with both Japan and China!”