851G.01/34: Telegram
The Consul at Hanoi (Reed) to the Secretary of State
Hanoi, July 14, 1940—4
p.m.
[Received July 14—12:50 p.m.]
[Received July 14—12:50 p.m.]
My telegram dated July 7, 4 p.m.84
- 1.
- There has been little change in the situation although the Japanese are much more in evidence. The number of Japanese connected with the various missions is more than quadruple that originally envisaged by the authorities of Indo-China and the number is increasing. Japanese planes have flown over fortified zones repeatedly and Japanese vessels are noted frequently off the coast.
- 2.
- Traffic with China continues to be at a standstill but a meeting of the commission for the control of transit scheduled for tomorrow will possibly result in permission to transport certain commodities, none probably of interest to American interests. The Japanese are understood to have expressed dissatisfaction with the continuance of the China National Aviation Corporation air service to Hanoi.
- 3.
- The reported agreement between the Governor General and the British admiral (at Saigon on June 28) for the maintenance of Anglo-French relations in the Far East is apparently continuing to operate despite anti-British feeling. Governor General is still noncommittal as to his recall but it is believed that his policy is to avoid a break with the home government so as not to give the Japanese a pretext for intervention.
Repeated to Chungking, Peiping, Hong Kong.
Reed
- Not printed.↩