893.102S/2203: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Washington, August 21, 1940—6
p.m.
319. Your 711, August 19, noon, 719, August 20, 11 p.m., and Department’s 317, August 20, 7 p.m.,30 Shanghai Defense Sectors.
- 1.
- The Department authorized assent by the American authorities at Shanghai to assumption of responsibility in Sector B by the Shanghai Volunteer Corps as a temporary measure and pending arrival by processes of agreement at a definitive solution.
- 2.
- In view of the statement made by an officer of the Foreign Office that if American marines moved into Sector B such a move would be opposed by Japanese forces, the Department inferred that discussion of this question will necessarily have to be carried on between Tokyo and Washington even though discussions might simultaneously be continued at Shanghai. Unless the Japanese authorities at Shanghai give favorable consideration to the solution voted by the majority of the Defense Committee and approved by the Municipal Council, which appears to this Government to offer an eminently fair and practicable arrangement, this Government feels that the only course open to it will be to present its views fully to the Japanese Government.
- 3.
- If you feel that a reply to the oral statement contained in your 719, August 20, 11 p.m. is required, the Department suggests that you say that in as much as a meeting of the Defense Committee was held on August 15, at which the Japanese member of the Defense Committee [Page 786] was present and at which he had ample opportunity to express his views, you would assume that further discussion of the question of the manner in which the meeting of August 12 was called would not serve any useful purpose. With reference to the statement that at the meeting of the Shanghai Municipal Council on August 16 American and British members of the Council, disregarding the opposition of the Japanese members, voted for a resolution supporting the proposal to which the Japanese commandant had not consented, we feel that, while the Japanese members of the Municipal Council are of course entitled to vote in accordance with their views, if that view is correct, it would ipso facto also be a fact that each and every member or group in the Council is likewise entitled to vote in accordance with his or its views.
Sent to Tokyo via Shanghai. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.
Welles
- Latter not printed.↩