Office of the Historian

893.0146/118

The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Adams)

Washington, April 30, 1929.

Sir: I have the honor to refer to a conversation between Admiral Hughes, Mr. Jahncke, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Mr. Clark, Under Secretary of State, which took place on April 23, at which there was discussed the possibility of withdrawing the force of United States Marines now stationed at Shanghai, China.

In the course of that conversation the Department was informed that the Navy Department was asking the opinion of the Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet and it was suggested that this Department should ask the opinion of the American Minister at Peking.

I telegraphed to the Minister, asking for his opinion, and I stated that it was felt here that the marines should be withdrawn unless there appeared some controlling reason why they should remain at Shanghai.

I have now received from the American Minister, under date April 26, a telegram14 in which he states that, in view of the [Page 540] resurgence of internal disorder which threatens to become increasingly extensive, he feels that further reduction of the force of marines available for protection of American lives and property in China would involve grave risk. He states that the center of gravity of the situation has shifted to Shanghai and that general considerations which he advanced in a telegram of November 1, 1928, to the Commander-in-Chief (which telegram was in reply to the Commander-in-Chief’s radio 0025–2300 and of which I assume that your Department has a copy) when the question of withdrawing marines from Tientsin was under discussion,14a are at least equally applicable now.

I have received also a telegram, relayed, from the American Consul General at Canton, dated April 25,15 in which the Consul General states that the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs had on the previous evening stated to him confidentially that he considered the political situation in Canton critical.

In view of these expressions of opinion and statements of fact on the part of the Minister and the Consul General at Canton, and in view of the obvious uncertainty of the political and military situation in China as it has developed during recent weeks, I feel moved to express the opinion that at present the moment does not seem opportune for effecting the withdrawal of the marine force which remains at Shanghai.16

There are enclosed for your confidential information copies of Mr. MacMurray’s telegrams No. 320, April 26, 5 p.m., and No. 322, April 26, 7 p.m.17 Mr. MacMurray has asked the Consul General at Shanghai for comment upon the local situation, and when the Consul General’s views are received I shall further inform you.

I have [etc.]

Henry L. Stimson
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. See telegram No. 805, November 1, 1928, from the Minister in China, Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. ii, p. 316.↩
  3. Not printed.↩
  4. On March 4, 1930, the Department of State was informed by the Navy Department that the force of United States marines at Shanghai was diminished from about 3,700 to 1,100 men between June 1 and December 1, 1928, and had since been stabilized at about 1,200 men (893.0146/137).↩
  5. Neither printed.↩