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Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Phillips)
When the Chinese Minister called today, I inquired whether he had any news from the Far East, to which he replied that he had nothing since two days ago, that the then reports indicated that the Chinese were withdrawing to Lwanchow, in order to avoid a clash with the Japanese forces; the Chinese were not able to put up a strong fight, but if the Japanese pushed through as far as the Lwanchow-Peiping region, the Government would have to put up a strong resistance, otherwise it would fail; the Chinese people throughout the country were demanding resistance, yet it was apparent that the Chinese Government were not in a position to offer such resistance.