793.94/15485a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Washington, November 13, 1939—8
p.m.
349. For your information.
- 1.
- On October 11 the Counselor of the Japanese Embassy, when calling on an officer of the Department, expressed the opinion that a central regime would be set up very soon under Wang Ching-wei;21a that the regime would not be a puppet one; that it would be a fully independent and well-established government; but that it would probably [Page 35] be necessary, from the point of view of combating communist activities, for Japanese forces to remain at certain points in China for a period of time. On November 7, during a call on another officer of the Department, the Counselor again referred to the proposed regime, stating that the Japanese placed great hopes in its establishment; that the Japanese expected the regime to become a stable and independent one like “Manchukuo”; that he did not expect the Japanese to raise questions of de jure recognition of the new regime by the United States and other powers but it was hoped that, as a solution to many difficulties, foreign governments would deal and cooperate with the new regime. In regard to the question of Japanese troops, the Counselor stated that it was hoped that the time would come when they could withdraw but that of course was a very difficult question.
- 2.
- It is our opinion that the proposed regime, if set up, would be a purely artificial creation, and that its existence would depend upon Japanese armed support; that the regime would lack any spontaneous or genuine broad support on the part of the Chinese public; and that it would be designed primarily to serve the special purposes of Japan which, as in the case of the regimes established during recent years under Japanese auspices in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, at Peiping and at Nanking, would result in depriving the people and the Government of the United States, and the people and governments of other third countries, of long-established rights of equal opportunity and fair treatment in China which are legally and justly theirs. We could not regard the setting up of such a regime as evidence of a disposition on Japan’s part to pursue a course in and with regard to China which would be in accord with fundamental principles and policies in which this Government believes. The setting up of such a regime would therefore in our opinion serve to render more difficult rather than to facilitate an adjustment of American-Japanese relations.
Sent to Tokyo. Repeated to Peiping and Chungking.
Hull
- Formerly a member of the Chinese Government.↩