893.102S/2194a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
313. It is the Department’s understanding that at the meeting of the Defense Committee at Shanghai on August 15, Defense Sector B was assigned to United States forces and the remaining portion of the British sector assigned to Japanese forces, by majority vote, the Italians abstaining from voting and the Japanese voting “no;” and that the majority decision has been approved by the Municipal Council; but that the Japanese reserved the right to present an alternative plan and took the position that no plan should be adopted unless unanimously agreed upon; that the British forces are to be withdrawn upon the nineteenth. This Government approves the plan for United States forces to take over Sector B, in which are situated the American Consulate General and a considerable number of other important American interests, and hopes that the Japanese Government will approve it at least tentatively and will not oppose taking over of Sector B by United States forces pending final decision regarding the matter. This Government is giving authorization for the Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Squadron or the American Consul to give notification locally that (a) this Government approves the Defense Committee’s and the Municipal Council’s decision and (b) the Commander-in-Chief is prepared to proceed in accordance therewith when the British withdraw their armed forces from their sector.
Please review Department’s 362, August 13, 3 p.m. to Shanghai and take up this matter immediately with the Foreign Office, saying that we consider the plan and procedure indicated thoroughly reasonable and that we hope that the Japanese Government will take the same view and will take action accordingly.