Office of the Historian

793.94/11021: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, November 8, 1937—4 p.m.
[Received November 8—10:50 a.m.]

735. Embassy’s 728, November 5, 4 p.m.2

1.
The local Japanese military spokesman stated at noon today that Japanese forces breached the north and east walls of Taiyuan this morning and occupied the northeast corner of the city and that fighting was continuing.
2.
Principals of local primary and middle schools were officially ordered this morning by Chinese police under Japanese instruction to parade their pupils today in celebration of the victory at Taiyuan. These parades are now in progress.
3.
Instances of Japanese policy such as the foregoing continue to exacerbate the feelings of Chinese in Peiping. However, conditions in the city during the day time are rapidly returning to normal. Streets are still largely deserted at night due to fear of robbers and of mistreatment by Japanese soldiers. Instances of oppressive measures by Japanese soldiers against individual Chinese are now rare.
4.
On the other hand reports indicate that the alleged policy of the Japanese to make friends with the Chinese is not being observed in many places in the occupied territory. Cases of indiscriminate shooting of civilians, rape, looting and other ill-treatment are among the reports. (There are also some authenticated cases of looting by Chinese soldiers.) In many towns only a fraction of the inhabitants remain, large numbers having fled to the countryside. Economic suffering is severe and will become increasingly so.

Repeated to Nanking. By courier to Tokyo.

Lockhart
  1. Not printed.↩