793.94/7425: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham)
351. 1. On November 20 the British Ambassador called, evidently under instruction, on the Under Secretary and inquired what decision, if any, we had arrived at in regard to the new regime in North China. The Under Secretary replied that our reports from the Far East did not as yet give a clear picture as to whether the new regime would be set up or what form it would take and that therefore we had not arrived at the point of determining what action, if any, should be taken. The Under Secretary read to the British Ambassador excerpts from our telegraphic reports from the Far East and the Ambassador stated that it was clear that there was no finality, as yet, to the movement in North China. The Under Secretary expressed to the British Ambassador our anxiety in regard to the whole outlook and indicated that he was glad to keep in touch with the Ambassador.
2. Associated Press report from London states that informed sources “hinted that Great Britain had played a strong diplomatic hand both in Tokyo and in Nanking to check the move for an autonomous North China.” The report indicates that the British may have used their influence to stiffen the stand of Chiang Kai-shek and that the British exerted diplomatic action in Tokyo to check the handling of the situation by Japanese army leaders in China. Please endeavor to ascertain informally and discreetly whether there is any basis in fact for this report.