Office of the Historian

793.94112/386: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul at Shanghai (Butrick)

Washington, August 14, 1940—7 p.m.

368. Your 751, August 7, 3 p.m., Japanese detention of motor vessel Estelle L, and Department’s 400, September 22, 5 p.m., 1937, to Shanghai.8

Having in mind the attitude and position of this Government toward the rights of American citizens and property, including vessels, in relation to areas assertedly marked off by the Japanese authorities as zones of blockade or hostilities, it is suggested that you reply to your Japanese colleague, and inform him that this Government does not recognize or acquiesce in any asserted right by the Japanese naval or other authorities to detain an American vessel proceeding on its lawful occasion.

Sent to Shanghai. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.

Welles
  1. Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 371.↩