740.00116 Pacific War/32½
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The Chinese Foreign Minister, Dr. Soong, called this morning at his request.
Dr. Soong handed me a telegram he had just received from his Government stating that the Japanese had used poison gas in recent attacks which the Japanese Army had made in eastern Chekiang. The Chinese Government requested the United States Government to threaten retaliation against the Japanese if the Japanese Army continued to use poison gas. The text of the message is as follows:
“The enemy employed gas shells in the recent attacks on Chienteh and Kinhwa in eastern Chekiang. At Chienteh the enemy also dropped gas bombs from airplanes. Our army has suffered serious losses from such poison gas.
“In October 1941, the enemy used mustard gas at Ichang. Authentic cases have been reported and certified by Chinese and foreign doctors who examined soldiers thus afflicted. Now that the enemy has again resorted to gas in eastern Chekiang, it is to be feared that further large-scale use of gas may be resorted to by the enemy, unless international denunciation of such use and support of our protests should be forthcoming immediately.
“Please approach the United States Government with a view to their taking measures to support our protests, and to denouncing the [Page 61] enemy along the lines of the statement made by the British Prime Minister recently, where he threatened retaliation should Germany start gas warfare on the Russian front. We hope that a statement couched in sternest tones will be made.”
I told the Minister that I would be glad immediately to submit this request from the Chinese Government to the President in as much as only the President, as Commander-in-Chief, could make a decision with regard to a matter of this fundamental character.