Office of the Historian

893.01/716: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

London, April 2, 1940—1 p.m.
[Received April 2—9:53 a.m.]

816. Department’s instruction 1254, March 2, 1940,5 and Embassy’s telegram 26, January 4, 8 p.m., antepenultimate paragraph.6

I had a short conversation last evening with Mr. R. A. Butler, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, regarding the Far East with particular reference to the new regime at Nanking under Wang Ching-wei. Mr. Butler informed me that the attitude of the British Government toward Wang was in no way different to that expressed to me on January 4 by Lord Halifax7 and reported in the above-mentioned telegram. He said that the British Government for the moment must regard the Japanese experiment of setting up a government at Nanking with more interest than confidence. He also said that the Government would seek an occasion [Page 310] formally this week to make a statement in the House of Commons which would clarify the attitude.8 The Government naturally desires to cultivate friendly relations with Japan and will endeavor to make such a statement without “repeals” but at the same time making it clear that as far as Great Britain is concerned the recognized Government of China is that of Chiang Kai-shek.

Mr. Butler mentioned as most unfortunate the coincidence of a recent speech by Craigie in Tokyo with the establishment of the Wang regime. Ambassador Craigie’s speech, in which he endeavored to stress certain similarities more apparent than real between the British and Japanese Empires, is greatly regretted here. The speech was made without prior consultation with the Foreign Office and did not represent the views of London. Mr. Butler said that, speaking for the Foreign Office, he did not wish to criticise Ambassador Craigie personally with undue sharpness as they considered him a most valuable Ambassador and had declined to “let him down”. He evidently feels it necessary however through a Government statement to dispel erroneous conclusions which may be drawn in Japan and elsewhere from the coincidence of this speech being made on the eve of the announcement of a new set up at Nanking.

Johnson
  1. Not printed; it transmitted the memorandum of February 21, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs, printed on p. 290.↩
  2. Printed in vol. i, in section I under “Activities of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe, and Soviet Relations With the Belligerent Powers.”↩
  3. British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
  4. Mr. Butler made a statement in this sense to the House of Commons on April 3.↩