393.1163P92/235
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 29.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to this Embassy’s telegram No. 415, June 28, 11 a.m., to the Department8 in regard to the bombing by Japanese planes of the property of the American Presbyterian Mission at Changteh, an important city in the northwest part of Hunan Province, on June 23 and 24, 1939, and to enclose in this relation a copy of a letter dated June 25, 1939,8 which has just been received from Dr. G. T. Tootell, American representative of the mission at Changteh. Information concerning the preparation of claims has been sent to Dr. Tootell.
Apart from its information concerning the destruction of American property and the death of two Canadian missionaries, the letter is a sad commentary on the ruthless and systematic efficiency of the Japanese air forces in inflecting death, ruin and devastation on undefended cities in the interior of China. On the basis of information constantly reaching this Embassy from a great many neutral sources, it is difficult if not impossible to escape the conclusion that since the beginning of the present year the Japanese have embarked upon a deliberate, [Page 352] relentless campaign of bombing and cowing into submission the inhabitants of the cities, villages and hamlets of “free” China. The vast extent of this campaign of intimidation, death and destruction has been indicated to some extent in reports transmitted to the Department in connection with the bombing of American properties, but doubtless a large majority of the cases involving bombings of cities, villages and small settlements in the interior of the country are seldom revealed to the outside world. The very great proportion of the losses of lives and property resulting from these widespread and indiscriminate air attacks is, of course, suffered by the civil population and not by the Chinese military establishments, as the Japanese are wont to say in explaining the nature and reasons for these attacks. Needless to say, if the Japanese have as their real object the submission of the Chinese people through sheer terrorism, it seems safe to say that this aim is bound to fail; on the contrary, such acts engender in the breast of the average Chinese a feeling of hate and anger so keen that he is merely hardened in his resolve not to bow to ruthless and brutal military aggression.
Respectfully yours,