793.94/11559: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10—6 a.m.]
24. Nanking’s 1026, December 9, 6 p.m. The following communication was sent to diplomatic missions represented in Hankow December 10, 11 a.m.
“The American Ambassador at about 12 p.m. December 9 received a radio message from Mr. Atcheson, in charge of the Embassy at Nanking which was despatched at 6 o’clock and transmitted the text of two telegrams addressed by the International Committee in charge of the ‘safety zone’ at Nanking to the Japanese and Chinese authorities, respectively, making a proposal whereby fighting inside the walled city may be obviated and the probable death of many civilians avoided; the Committee asked that these messages be communicated through the agency of the American Embassies in Tokyo and Hankow to the authorities concerned. A copy of the radio message received from Mr. Atcheson is attached hereto for the information of the diplomatic missions represented in Hankow.
Immediately on receipt of this message the American Embassy in Hankow delivered a copy of it to the appropriate Chinese authorities in Hankow and word was received from them this morning that the proposal has been laid before the highest military command and that when a reply should be received from them, it would be communicated immediately. Presumably the message to the Japanese authorities in Shanghai and Tokyo was similarly transmitted during the evening of December 9, 1937.
It is to be noted that the International Committee solicits from the Embassies their support of the proposal in question. The American Ambassador, for his own part, has informed the Chinese authorities that the humanitarian proposal of the International Committee at Nanking meets with his approval and that he would be glad to see it put into force to the fullest extent consistent with plans adopted by the Chinese military command.”
Sent to Nanking, repeated to Department, Peiping, Shanghai, Peiping repeat to Tokyo.