Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The Far East; The Near East and Africa, Volume IV

893.102 Kulangsu/140: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State

Paris, May 20, 1939—2 p.m.
[Received May 20—11:44 a.m.]

976. The Chief of the Far Eastern Division at the Foreign Office⁵⁹ said to us this morning that he felt that the situation at Kulangsu⁶⁰ had developed very favorably due to the firm attitude of the American, British and French Governments and that this should produce a useful effect upon developments at Shanghai.

He had been impressed by the American aide-mémoire to the Japanese⁶¹ published on May 18 regarding the questions raised by the Japanese affecting the International Settlement of Shanghai. He had this morning asked the British Embassy for confirmation of the report that the British Ambassador at Tokyo yesterday had made an answer to the Japanese substantially similar to the American reply.

If this is confirmed, Chauvel said that the French Government probably would make a démarche at Tokyo supporting the stand of the American and British Governments.

So far as the Foreign Office is aware the French Ambassador at Tokyo was not handed the aide-mémoire of May 3 which the Japanese gave to the American and British Ambassadors. The French position was, of course, somewhat different because of the existence of the French Concession at Shanghai. The problems which had arisen in the French Concession were not the same nor as serious as those which had arisen in the International Settlement. He felt, however, that the opportunity offered to impress the Japanese Government again with the similarity of views of the three Western Powers on an important matter of principle was too good to be lost and that the French Government would take advantage of the opportunity.

Chauvel went on to say that yesterday the French Government had been informed by the British Government of information indicating that the civil government at Peiping was considering steps to modify the special status of the diplomatic quarter in Peiping. The British Government intends to make a démarche in Tokyo expressing its disapproval of any such project and proposes that the French Government take similar action. Chauvel said that the French Government would act in the sense suggested. He believes that the British have made the same suggestion in Washington.⁶²

Bullitt

59. Jean Chauvel.
60. See pp. 108 ff.
61. Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 842.
62. See British aide-mémoire of May 18, p. 170.