856E.00/7–3047: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Foote) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
295. Chinese Consul General called at my residence late last night and delivered letter quoted below: [Page 999]
“In view of recent large scale destruction of Chinese property and maltreatment and murder of Chinese nationals by Indo troops, whose main war efforts seems concentrated on destroying Chinese interests and taking innocent lives, and the fact that no response has been received from Indo Government to my appeal to spare lives and property of neutrals in war areas, I have the honor to inquire, with, object of preventing further destruction, whether you are prepared on humanitarian grounds to use your good offices by public appeal or in whatever manner you deem fit to urge the Indo Government to stop these acts of vandalism by their army and police.
“I feel confident that if world opinion, as may be expressed through you, is brought home to the Indo Government they may the quicker realize that the inhuman and immoral acts now carried out by their troops will be condemned by civilized nations and entirely damage their hope for sympathy from other people.”
While I expressed personal regret over destruction Chinese property and grief over loss many Chinese lives, explained to Tsiang Chia-tung, Consul General of China, that it necessary obtain instructions from Department before taking any action. I shall be pleased if Department will instruct me at earliest possible moment re its desires.65
Chinese Consul General gave me copy of circular letter addressed to USA, British, French and Australian Consul[s] General, substance of which is:
He had just returned from visit to Krawang, Tjikampek and Rengkasdengklok and found situation in those places as follows: In Krawang about 110 shops, houses and rice mills were destroyed by fire. All rice mills and 83 houses and shops were Chinese property. Such property after being looted was burned and fire spread to adjoining houses. In Tjikampek over 130 shops, houses and rice mills were looted and burned. All of these were Chinese owned. In Rengkasdengklok 8 rice mills and more than 10 shops and houses belonging to Chinese were burned.
According information given him by population, practically no fighting occurred at above named three places, Indo troops having withdrawn before Netherlands troops arrived. Before beginning retreat, Indo troops looted and burned Chinese property mentioned. General opinion among Chinese is that Republic army assisted by Republic police never intended carry out scorched earth policy in strict sense of term but their chief object seemed to create disturbances and loot, after which they dispersed to surrounding village.
[Page 1000]Since all this occurred in Republic area, there no information available concerning number Chinese lives lost but Consul General Tsiang fears the worst. I have felt many months, based on talks with Indo leaders, that Indos had elimination of Chinese and Chinese interests as important objectives.
- The Department replied in telegram 205, August 4, noon, to Batavia, that, the situation being before the United Nations Security Council July 31 and the United States having offered good offices to the Netherlands Government, it was not necessary to take action suggested (856E.00/7–3047).↩