Herbert Hoover photo

White House Statement Announcing Measures for the Protection of United States Citizens in the International Settlement at Shanghai, China.

January 31, 1932

A CONFERENCE was held by the President today with the Secretaries of State, War, and Navy, Under Secretary of State [William R.] Castle, Chief of Staff General [Douglas] MacArthur, and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral [William V.] Pratt. The request of the American Consul General [Edwin S.] Cunningham and our Naval officers at Shanghai for still further protection of American citizens in the International Settlement at Shanghai was considered.

Directions have been given to send to Shanghai the 31st Regiment of about 1,000 men now at Manila together with 400 Marines on the transport Chaumont leaving tomorrow. The cruiser Huston and six destroyers left Manila this morning for Shanghai.

With these additions to the Marines already there, the total American forces in the settlement will number to about 2,800. As soon as conditions permit the troops will be returned to Manila.

Note: The Department of the Navy subsequently announced that the Chaumont had 562 Marines on board.

In military operations beginning on January 28, 1932, Japanese forces occupied the city of Shanghai. They remained until May 1932, when the League of Nations succeeded in arranging an armistice and secured withdrawal.

Herbert Hoover, White House Statement Announcing Measures for the Protection of United States Citizens in the International Settlement at Shanghai, China. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/207871

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