740.0011 P.W./566: Telegram
The Consul at Hanoi (Reed) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:34 p.m.]
157. Late yesterday the Secretary General informed me that the Japanese have advised the Government General that they intend to take advantage of the clause in the French-Japanese agreement of September 1940 mentioned in paragraph 2 of my telegram No. 149, October 3, 5 p.m. The Secretary General said that he has reason to believe that the Japanese will bring about 20,000 additional troops into Tongking, to be stationed at Gialam, Vietri, Sept Pagodes, and Dap-cau; he expected the first arrivals within a few days coming from Hainan. The Secretary General was at a loss to understand this latest development as he does not believe that the Japanese intend to attack China.
Sent to Cavite for repetition to the Department, Chungking, Peiping, Hong Kong, Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.