Office of the Historian

893.01 Inner Mongolia/78: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, September 1, 1936—2 p.m.
[Received September 1—11:30 a.m.]

429. Reference Embassy’s 427, September 1, noon.

(1)
Information has been obtained with regard to conditions in Inner Mongolia in Chahar and eastern Suiyuan under Japanese control from two Mongol-speaking foreigners who have just returned from that area after a 3 months’ and 1 month’s visit respectively. [Page 278] Their information, which is contained in paragraph 2, is not conflicting and it substantiates information submitted by the Embassy in previous telegrams.
(2)
There are apparently not Japanese troops in the area in question, but there are Japanese officers and some thousands of Manchukuo and Mongol forces. The Mongols do the bidding of the Japanese only and admit their fear of the Japanese and because Prince Teh is heavily in debt to them as the result of purchases of military supplies. Chinese renegades and bandits, together with some Mongols of similar character, continue to gather in the vicinity of Shangtu in the extreme west of Chahar northeast of Pingtichuan and are allegedly and presumably receiving arms and money from Japan.
(3)
An American resident of Suiyuan states that residents of Suiyuan are apprehensive of the allegedly impending westward movement of the above-mentioned elements and that definite preparations are being pushed.
(4)
The attitude of Fu Tso Yi, however, is not known. The Chief of Staff of the Kwantung army visited Fu at Kueihwa on August 25 and 26. The purpose and outcome of the visit are not known. Itagaki also visited Yin Ju Keng but did not see Sung Che Yuan. His visit to Yin has aroused speculation in connection with the Japanese Ambassador’s alleged statement to the Chinese press that East Hopei and North Chahar should be united. By mail to Tokyo.
Johnson