793.94/9687: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:12 p.m.]
552. While the Japanese have been successful in effecting the landing of their army forces at Woosung and at points between Woosung and Liuho on the Yangtze and between Woosung and the settlements on the Whangpoo, the question now is whether the Japanese have landed in sufficient force and can advance sufficiently rapidly to force the Chinese forces to retire to their prepared positions in the interior. [Page 470] Unless this is done large scale military operations will take place at the doors of the foreign settlements. There is some indication that the Chinese may be preparing to withdraw at least partially. We hope this may be the case.
- 2.
- If heavy fighting occurs in and around the foreign areas, we of course face a dangerous situation, with the possibility of the Chinese forces breaking through our foreign defense lines and perhaps of the large Chinese population within our lines getting out of hand.
- 3.
- With this before us as the extreme possibility of the situation, the American Emergency Committee is organizing so as to be able promptly as possible to effect the concentration of our nationals at places where they might be protected in large groups until the storm passed or until they might be moved down and evacuated on warships. We are moving quietly in this matter and are not permitting an alarmist attitude. Sent to the Department, Nanking and Peiping.