Foreign Intervention in China

Report Outline
Foreign Intervention in the Past

The governments of France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and the United States in identic notes, April 11, 1927, demanded reparation by the Nationalist or Cantonese government of South China for the outrages committed against foreigners, March 24, at Nanking. Systematic outrages upon the persons and properties of foreign consuls and other residents were perpetrated by uniformed and organized bodies of troops of the Nationalist armies, according to the statement issued by the American State Department.

“A number of Americans, British, French, Italians and Japanese were murdered or wounded,” the statement added, “many others were brutally assaulted and their lives jeopardized; …the American, British and Japanese consulates were violated and their national flags insulted; and the houses and institutions of all foreigners resident in Nanking were systematically looted and in many cases burned.”

The identic notes were presented at the same time to Eugene Chen, the Nationalist Foreign Minister at Hankow, and to General Pai Chung-hsi, representative at Shanghai of General Chiang Kai-shek, Commander-in-Chief of the Nationalist armies.