793.94/6482: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

148. 1. The Secretary to the Minister of War yesterday made the following statement to the Acting Military Attaché in regard to the situation in Manchuria and in North China.

  • “(a) Because of certain irregularities on the part of the Russian Railroad officials, the “Manchukuo” gendarmerie at Pogranichnaya and Manchuli have taken charge of the stations at both places. No other details are known at present; the Kwantung Army is in no way involved.
  • (b) Generals Fang Chen-wu and Chi Hung-chang, former subordinates of Feng Yu-hsiang have marched a force of anti-”Man-chukuo” and anti-Nanking troops from the vicinity of Dolonor to Hwaiju (40 kilometers north of Peiping) in the neutral zone. This is a direct violation of the Tangku truce. Generals Fang and Chi have been given until midnight today the 26th, to withdraw to the south or westward. In the event that they do not withdraw or if they advance northward or eastward, Kwantung Army Headquarters will take the necessary steps to drive them out.”

2. The Embassy doubts if Japan instigated the action taken by Fang and Chi but believes that it has produced a state of affairs not altogether displeasing to the War Office and Kwantung Army Headquarters. The Embassy is of the opinion that the army has no intention of seizing Peiping and would do so only under extraordinary circumstances.

Repeated to Peiping.

Grew