740.0011 European War 1939/4608: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:23 p.m.]
338. I called upon General Chiang at his request July 11, 6 p.m. and he introduced without any preliminary conversation what was obviously the subject on which he desired to consult me. He said that the Japanese War Ministry was pressing the Japanese Government most urgently to declare war against Great Britain and he felt that two steps within the power of the United States to take would be sufficient to prevent such a declaration which otherwise seemed inevitable, but he emphasized that in his opinion these measures would be effective-in [direct?] ratio to the promptness with which they were taken; they were (1) an indication to the Japanese that interference with our right to trade with China over the Burma road would be in fact an embargo upon our trade which we would counter with general embargo of Japanese trade, and (2) a warning that a declaration of war would be followed by the imposition of an embargo against exports to Japan. I commented to him in regard to [the fact?] that our laws would automatically impose great restrictions on exports to Japan and regard to the first step suggested I expressed doubt whether our Government would feel able to make any statement that might appear to the public calculated to lead the United States closer to involvement in the war. I promised General Chiang, however, that I would telegraph to the Department the observations he had just made.
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Peiping. Latter repeat to Tokyo.