Letter from a Young Boy Following the Panayincident

On December 22, 1937, a Japanese boy from the Shin Kozen Primary School continued to maintain that the attack had delivered a letter and a ¥2.00 donation to the American consulate in Nagasaki, Japan. been unintentional. The formal apology His letter, originally written in Japanese, was translated into English and forwarded reached Washington on Christmas Eve. to Joseph C. Grew, the American ambassador in Tokyo. His letter read, “The cold Although Japanese officials maintained has come. Having heard from my elder brother that the American warship has sunk that their pilots never saw any American the other day I feel very sorry. Having been committed without intention beyond flags on the Panay, a U.S. Navy court doubt, I apologize on behalf of the soldiers. Please forgive. Here is the money I saved. of inquiry determined that several U.S. Please hand it to the American sailors injured.” The letter, featured in this article, flags were clearly visible on the vessel was addressed “To the American sailors,” and was signed only, “One of the pupils during the attacks. Four days before of the Shin Kozen.” The boy did not provide his name in the letter, nor did he reveal the apology reached Washington, the it when visiting the consulate. Japanese government admitted that its army strafed the Panay and its survivors The American warship he referred attack from Japanese naval aircraft. On after the Japanese navy airplanes had to in his letter was the USS Panay, a the Panay, three men were killed, and bombed it. The Japanese government flat-bottomed craft built in Shanghai, forty-three sailors and five civilians were paid an indemnity of more than $2 mil- China, specifically for river duty. The wounded. Survivors were later taken on lion ($2,214,007.36) to the United States USS Panay served as part of the U.S. board the American vessel USS Oahu on April 22, 1938, officially settling the Navy’s Yangtze Patrol in the Asiatic Fleet, and the British ships HMS Ladybird and Panay incident. which was responsible for patrolling the HMS Bee. Immediately after the Panay bomb- Yangtze River to protect American lives It was a nervous time for the American ing, a lesser-known aspect of the story and property. On December 12, 1937, ambassador to Japan. He feared the started to unfold. In the days following Japanese aircraft bombed and sunk the Panay incident might lead to a break in the Panay incident, Japanese nationals, American navy gunboat. diplomatic ties between Japan and the including the young boy from Nagasaki, After invading China in the summer of United States. Grew, whose experience began sending letters and cards of sym- 1937, Japanese forces moved on the city in the Foreign Service spanned more than pathy to the American embassy in Tokyo, of Nanking in December. Panay evacu- 30 years, remembered the Maine, the and to American consulates elsewhere in ated the remaining Americans from the U.S. Navy ship that blew up in Havana the country. Ambassador Grew wrote city on December 11, bringing the num- Harbor in 1898. The sinking of the that: ber of people on board to five officers, Maine had propelled the United States never before has the fact that there fifty-four enlisted men, four U.S. embassy into the Spanish-American War; Grew are ‘two Japans’ been more clearly staff, and ten civilians. The following day, hoped the sinking of the Panay would emphasized. Ever since the first while upstream from Nanking, Panay not be a similar catalyst. news of the Panay disaster came, and three Standard Oil tankers, Mei The Japanese government took full we have been deluged by delega- Ping, Mei An, and Mei Hsia, came under responsibility for sinking the Panay but tions, visitors, letters, and contri-

S o c i a l Ed u c a t i o n 62 butions of money—people from all Some of the girls enclosed postcards the money to the Japanese government. walks of life, from high officials, of beautiful Japanese places and scenes, The former sailors turned down this sug- doctors, professors, businessmen while others sent Christmas cards and gestion and chose instead to send their down to school children, trying holiday wishes. One girl included a donation to the Navy Department in to express their shame, apologies, drawing of a Christmas candle burning Washington. and regrets for the action of their bright with holly at the bottom. Several After being turned down by the Navy, own Navy. of the girls included their ages, which Hashimoto approached the naval attaché ranged from eight to thirteen. Some of at the American embassy in Tokyo with In addition, “highly placed women, the letters were written on intricately a check for 300 yen. The attaché, Capt. the wives of officials, have called on decorated stationery. Each envelope was Harold Bemis, informed Ambassador Alice [Grew’s wife] without the knowl- identically addressed: “To the Family Grew that a Mr. K. Hashimoto had edge of their husbands.” The ambassador of the ‘Paney’ [sic] C/O U.S.A. Navy brought in a contribution from the noted, “that side of the incident, at least, Department, Washington, DC U.S.A.” Ex-U.S. Navy Enlisted Men’s Association is profoundly touching and shows that at While each letter seems to be penned of Yokohama. Bemis further told the heart the Japanese are still a chivalrous individually, the envelopes appear to ambassador that Hashimoto requested people.” These signs of sympathy arrived have been addressed by the same person, that the names of the former sailors be just as the ambassador was receiving word possibly their teacher. withheld from the Japanese authorities of possible atrocities being committed by Three months later, a naval officer sent and public. The donor feared that his Japanese forces in China. a reply to the principal of St. Margaret’s group’s motives might be misconstrued While most letters of sympathy were School, thanking the girls for the cards because of their connection with the U.S. sent to the embassy in Tokyo, a few and letters. The officer noted, “The kind Navy but had no objection to their names were sent to the Navy Department in thoughts of the little girls are appreciated, being published in the United States. Washington, D.C. One noteworthy group and it is requested that you inform them Several American consulates were of letters received by the Navy was from of this acknowledgement.” Although receiving money, too, including the 37 Japanese girls attending St. Margaret’s the girls’ letters were addressed to the consulates at Nagoya, Kobe, Nagasaki, School in Tokyo. The letters, each writ- families of the Panay victims, it does and Osaka, in Japan; Taihoku, Taiwan; ten in English and dated December 24, not appear that they made it any further Keijo (Seoul), Korea; Dairen and Harbin 1937, extended their apologies for the than the Navy Department. in Manchuria; Capetown, South Africa; sinking of the Panay. By coincidence, Other letters from Japanese individu- and São Paulo, Brazil. These contribu- the girls’ letters are dated the same day als and organizations contained gifts of tions were eventually forwarded to the that the Japanese government’s formal money along with expressions of regret. American embassy in Tokyo, where other apology reached Washington. The letters These donations caused a problem for the letters and cards of sympathy and apology are very similar in content. The typical Navy Department. One letter from 10 continued to pour in. While the ambas- letter reads: Japanese men expressed their sympathy sador attempted to turn away many of the Dear Friend! This is a short let- over the Panay incident and included donors, he explained to the secretary of ter, but we want to tell you how a check for $87.19. The men claimed state, “On the other hand, the donations sorry we are for the mistake our to be retired U.S. Navy sailors living are all of trivial amounts so that sentiment airplane[s] made. We want you in Yokohama, and the letter, written by is chiefly involved in the problem and to forgive us I am little and do Kankichi Hashimoto, stated “this little to return the donations might give rise not understand very well, but I monetary gift is the instrument through to a misunderstanding of our attitude.” know they did not mean it. I feel which we hope to be able to further con- Grew kept all money received related to so sorry for those who were hurt vey our sympathy with the bereaved fam- the Panay incident in the embassy safe and killed. I am studying here at ilies of the members of the Panay.” The until the State Department could find St. Margaret’s School which was Navy returned the check but informed a solution. built by many American friends. the gentlemen that the U.S. ambassador State Department officials were con- I am studying English. But I am in Tokyo had received a number of simi- cerned that accepting any money from only thirteen and cannot write lar letters and gifts and that a commit- the Japanese people might interfere very well. All my school-mates are tee was being formed in Japan to accept with the official indemnity the Japanese sorry like myself and wish you to such donations. The donors were almost government had already agreed to pay. forgive our country. To-morrow is back to square one. They had originally Expressing his concern to Secretary of X-Mas, May it be merry, I hope approached the American consulate in State Cordell Hull, Grew wrote, “We the time will come when every- Yokohama to donate 300 yen. The con- realize that the acceptance of the dona- body can be friends. I wish you a sular staff said that they could not accept tions for the purpose for which they are Happy New Year. Good-bye. the contribution and suggested donating offered might prejudice the principle of

M a r c h 2008 63 indemnification for which the Japanese The announcement appeared the fol- donors to acknowledge their contribu- Government has assumed liability.” The lowing day in the Japan Advertiser. The tions and inform them of the establish- ambassador was in a difficult position: English-language newspaper reported the ment of the Japan-America Trust. Grew accepting the money posed one set of amount of the fund at 37,000 yen with expressed his “hope and belief that the problems, while refusing the contribu- contributions from approximately 8,000 Japan-America Trust, receiving its original tions posed another. Grew did not wish sympathizers. The paper also reported impulse from the feeling of sympathy with to offend the contributors, explaining that the fund would be administered which the news of the PANAY incident that “logical grounds for refusal are dif- by Ambassador Joseph C. Grew and was met in Japan, will become and remain ficult to explain to people who know of Prince Iyesato Tokugawa, president of an important foundation in the mainte- no other way to express their regrets over the America-Japan Society, with a third nance of friendship between the people of the disaster.” trustee to be nominated later. In a letter Japan and the people of the United States, Eventually, in April 1938, a trust fund to Tokugawa on April 12, Grew proposed appropriately symbolizing the generous was created in Japan to handle the Panay Bishop Charles S. Reifsnider as the third feeling which has been manifested.” The contributions. On April 19, the American trustee. The prince concurred two days Foreign Office in Tokyo, after learning of embassy in Tokyo issued a statement to later. the establishment of the Japan-America the press announcing the creation of the According to the article, embassy offi- Trust, felt it was up to the Japanese people Japan-America Trust, which was being cials explained that the Japan-America to make the fund as large as possible. endowed in the name of the Panay survi- Trust would be similar to the Pilgrim On May 9, Prince Tokugawa wrote to vors and relatives of those who lost their Trust Fund established in London for the Grew, “It is gratifying to me that the spirit lives. The press release clearly stated that repair of old monuments that memorialize which prompted the Japanese contributors the Panay contributions were in no way Americans. Most likely, according to the is understood by your people and that the related to the official settlement between paper, the Japan-America Trust would be same spirit of sympathy and friendship the two nations but that “the donors have used for the care of graves of American has resulted in the establishment of this simply sought to express their sympathy by sailors buried in Japan. trust fund.” Tokugawa closed the letter, a procedure which is common in Japanese The embassy prepared a form letter “I am sure that this Japan-American Trust custom.” signed by Ambassador Grew to send to continued on page 68

Teaching Activities 1. Direct students to locate the following cities and features on a to assume the role of a State Department official and draft a map of Asia: in China, the Yangtze River and the city of Nanking one-page proposal suggesting possible plans for the money (Nanjing); in Japan, the cities of Tokyo and Nagasaki. received. Invite student volunteers to read their proposals aloud. Describe for students the actual creation of the Japan- 2. Distribute copies of both documents (the student’s letter and America Trust and its objectives. its translation, as well as the cover letter from Tower) to students. Ask one student to read them aloud while the others 5. Write on the board Ambassador Grew’s statement that “never follow along. Lead a class discussion by posing the following before has the fact that there are ‘two Japans’ been more questions: What types of documents are they? What are the clearly emphasized,” and ask students to write a short para- dates of the documents? Who were the intended recipients? graph explaining what they think he meant. Invite student Who created them? For what purpose? (If you have a student volunteers to share their paragraphs with the class. who is able to read Japanese, encourage him/her to translate the letter for the class, and perhaps explain the use of syllables 6. Divide students into small groups, assign each a particular and characters in Japanese.) country, and ask them to gather information about the U.S. embassy in that country. Ask them to name the current ambas- 3. Explain to students the circumstances surrounding the sinking sador, the location of the embassy, and discuss the main issues of the USS Panay. Ask students to conduct research into the affecting the embassy and its staff today. A complete list of American reaction to the attack. Discuss with students the U.S. embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions is available term “isolationism,” and ask them to what extent they think from the State Department at usembassy.state.gov. isolationism affected the nation’s reaction. 7. Foreign consulates exist in many large U.S. cities. If there is one 4. Ask students to define the word “diplomacy.” Share informa- close to you, invite a representative to speak to your students tion from the above background essay with students about about his or her job and the daily operations at that facility. the many letters and donations received by the American Encourage students to draft questions for the guest ahead of ambassador and explain why the U.S. government had dif- time. ficulty deciding what to do with the donations. Ask students

S o c i a l Ed u c a t i o n 64 M a r c h 2008 65 S o c i a l Ed u c a t i o n 66 M a r c h 2008 67 The Panay Incident from page 64

which is now being established will long remain a symbol of friendship between the peoples of Japan and the United States.” Please join us in Houston this November for the In the end, both sides appeared 88th NCSS Annual Conference, the nation’s premier relieved with the outcome of the Panay contributions problem. The establish- social studies professional development event. ment of the Japan-America Trust removed any need to return the money, and no part of the U.S. government or any American Speakers confirmed to present at the conference: national benefited from the donations. William Bennett—Former Secretary of Education, and influential Grew’s description of the events after political/cultural commentator (CNN, host Bill Bennett’s Morning in the Panay incident as demonstrating America). Bennett’s books include Our Sacred Honor: The Stories, Letters, “two Japans” was very insightful. As the Songs, Poems, Speeches, and Hymns that Gave Birth to Our Nation, The Japanese people expressed sympathy Book of Virtues, and America: The Last Best Hope, Volumes 1 & 2. and regret through letters, cards, visits, and contributions, the ambassador was Firoozeh Dumas—author of Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up receiving telegrams of maltreatment of Iranian in America and Laughing without an Accent Chinese nationals and American citi- zens and property by Japanese military Matt Williams—CEO of KnowledgeWorks Foundation and board forces in China. While atrocities by member of Partnership for 21st Century Skills Japanese forces in China strained rela- tions between America and Japan, letters sent in the aftermath of the Panay Downtown Houston has revitalized with more than $5 billion of development incident expressed sincere hope that the over the past decade, including the new, 12-acre urban park Discovery Green, two nations would remain friends. Two set directly across from the Convention Center; the 17-block Theater District Japans indeed. offering world-class performances in opera, ballet, symphony, and theater; state-of-the-art stadiums featuring sports action year-round (baseball, References basketball, hockey); and hundreds of restaurants and nightclubs, all making Grew, Joseph C., Ten Years in Japan. Simon Schuster: New York, 1944. Houston a great convention city, and providing an ideal mix of social, cultural, Perry, Hamilton Darby. The Panay Incident: Prelude to and professional opportunities for the 88th NCSS Annual Conference. Pearl Harbor. Macmillan: New York, 1969.

For more information, go to www.socialstudies.org/conference Note about the Documents The documents featured in this article come We hope to see you in Houston! from Records of the State Department, Record Group 84, and are held at the National Archives in College Park, Md.

Trevor K. Plante is an archivist in the Old Military and Civil Records unit and Lee Ann Potter is the director of Education and Vol- unteer Programs at the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Pot- ter serves as the editor for “Teaching with Docu- ments,” a regular department of Social Education. You may reproduce the documents shown here in any quantity. For more information, write, call, or e-mail the education team at NARA, NWE, 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C, 20408; [email protected].

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