893.01/838½
Memorandum by Mr. George Atcheson, Jr., of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs69
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It is believed that, having communicated our attitude toward the projected Wang Ching-wei régime to the Japanese Government,70 there is no need for further action at this time. However, it may prove desirable at a later date, perhaps if and when the régime in question is actually set up, for this Government to take further steps such as (a) issuance of a public declaration or (b) filing with the Japanese Government a reservation of rights and making public the text of the reservation.
It is suggested that such a public declaration might take the form of a statement by the Secretary issued, in response to requests from news correspondents, in language somewhat as follows:
The attitude of this Government toward situations which have been brought about by armed force and in contravention of treaties is well known. That attitude remains unchanged. As this Government has made known in its note to the Japanese Government of December 30, 1938,* the people and Government of the United States could not assent [Page 285] to the establishment, at the instance of and for the special purposes of any third country, of a régime which would arbitrarily deprive them of the long-established rights of equal opportunity and fair treatment which are legally and justly theirs along with those of other nations. The Government of the United States recognizes as the Government of China the National Government of the Republic of China with capital temporarily at Chungking.
The contents of any note sent to the Japanese Government in reservation of our rights would depend somewhat upon the circumstances existing at the time the note might be despatched, especially the nature of any terms or agreements that might be arrived at between the Wang Ching-wei regime and the Japanese Government.
- Initialed by the Chief of the Division (Hamilton), who sent this memorandum to the Secretary of State on February 14.↩
- See telegram No. 349, November 13, 1939, 8 p.m., to the Ambassador in Japan, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 34; and the Secretary of State’s memorandum of conversation with the Japanese Ambassador on January 31, ibid., p. 53.↩
- See page 10 ante. [Footnote in the original; for the American note, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 820.]↩