893.0146/896: Telegram
The Consul at Shanghai (Stanton) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 p.m.]
Reference Shanghai’s 1665, November 13, 11 a.m. Admiral Glass-ford has received the following information from the commander of [Page 585] the Italian forces in Shanghai, who recently saw Admiral Makita, commander of the Japanese naval landing party and senior defense force commander. According to the Italian commander, Admiral Makita informed him that if and when the Fourth Marines are withdrawn he believed that a meeting of the Defense Committee should be called; that the Japanese in all probability will propose that they take over Sector C (American defense sector); that Admiral Makita did not mention Sector B (all the downtown business section); that the Japanese would probably reject any proposal to abolish all [defense] sectors because they wished to retain Sector A (north of Soochow creek), but that Admiral Makita personally was not in favor of disturbing the international status of the Settlement, and that the Japanese Embassy at Nanking held the same view. Admiral Glassford also learned that the Italians would like to include within their defense sector that portion of the American sector in which the Italian Consulate General is located.
Admiral Glassford thinks it possible that the Japanese might [want to redistribute the remaining defense forces?] Italian [and Japanese?].
The Embassy’s instructions regarding this problem would be very much appreciated.
Sent to Chungking; repeated to the Department and Peiping.