751G.94/239: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:48 p.m.]
884. I saw Chauvel this morning who gave me several pieces of [information] which may be of interest:
(1) He showed me a telegram from Admiral Decoux reporting that the Japanese have withdrawn all their heavy bombers from the airport of Gialam, leaving only some light bombers and chasers; that the Japanese commander had called on him and stated that his mission was over as his planes had successfully bombed the bridges over the Mekong on the Burma Road and he was therefore leaving. (Chauvel said that this was obviously just a pretext since the Burma Road continues as passable as the mud will permit.)
In another telegram which he showed me dated 3 days ago Admiral Decoux had reported that 7000 men of Japanese Kwangsi division had already been embarked at Haiphong along with 2000 mules and 2000 tons of matériel. (Chauvel remarked incidentally that it had later been found that the Japanese Kwangsi division which had gone into Langson had numbered considerably more than the 12,000 he had originally told me—my telegram No. 764, October 17, 7 p.m.41). A further telegram from Decoux stated that Japanese forces had withdrawn almost completely from Kwangsi, leaving the Indochinese frontier clear and communications with Nanning had accordingly been reestablished.
Ambassador Cosme had also telegraphed from Chungking concerning this Japanese withdrawal, reporting that Ichang had likewise been evacuated. Chauvel said it was difficult to place an interpretation on the Japanese withdrawal but he felt that it might well be to strengthen defensive positions against us. He did not feel that these withdrawals are due to the pressure of Chinese military forces.
(2) Cosme had telegraphed from Chungking that probably because of recent “closer relations” of Chiang Kai Shek with the British and ourselves, the Russians had stopped all shipments of arms and matériel to the Generalissimo and simultaneously the latter was having difficulties with the Communists’ Eighth Army. Cosme also said [Page 201] that Chiang Kai Shek no longer had any aviation. Chauvel found it difficult to explain this change in Russian attitude unless it was felt the Chinese could receive adequate arms supplies now over the Burma Road or because the Russians had greater need of matériel for themselves.
(3) Ambassador Labonne at Moscow feels that the Russians and Japanese will come to some, agreement, urged on by the Germans, but that the Russians are playing down the importance of any accord which may be reached.
(4) The situation in Thailand, said Chauvel, is extremely disquieting and he showed me a long alarmist cable from the French Minister at Bangkok. Neither Chauvel nor the Minister believes that the Thailanders are being actively egged on by the Japanese at the present time—such a policy would seem inconsistent with Japanese withdrawal from Indochina and Kwangsi—but the Thailanders themselves are apparently becoming quite worked up and more excited and insistent in their demands: all sorts of rumors of probable mutiny and disturbances in Cambodia and Laos in Indochina, dissidence on the part of the Indochinese, reports of a Japanese invasion of Indochina et cetera are circulating in Thailand. Chauvel said that the Tokyo newspaper Nishi Nishi which is German-controlled is charging the British with stirring up the Thailanders although “of course this is absurd”.
The French Minister at Bangkok seemed to feel that the strength of nationalist feeling in Thailand might compel the Prime Minister to take early action in demanding immediate French cessions of territory.
(5) Chauvel said that the British still had taken no decision on the sending of the Senegalese battalions from Djibouti to Indochina which was unfortunate since at this time they could prove very useful in any difficulties with Thailand.
(6) He has had no news recently from Tokyo or Hanoi on the progress of Franco-Japanese trade negotiations.
- Not printed.↩