FO371-23515 — Page 264

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9.

III. SITARNAL DEMENCE.

21. Manchoukuo faces doviet ku sia along the whole of her

northern and eastern frontier. Relations are anything but cor-

dial and the serious fighting that occurred at Changkufeng in

July and August 1938 demonstrated the danger of a conflict

breaking out one day. on the north-west cuter

ongolia, which

is under Soviet influence, is another source of anxiety. The

security of her middle and south western border depends mainly

on the vitality of the newly formed Mengchiang administration

which is under Japanese influence.

Japanese diplomat, who had returned from a trip

along the Amir, remarked to ne that the sight of Soviet forti-

fications all along the left bank gave him an uneasy feeling.

Most of the peaceful inhabitants had been withdrawn and replac-

ed by guards. The formerly thriving town of Blagoveschensk

opposite Heiho, the terminus of the line running north from

Harbin, had been deliberately stripped of merchants and was a

city of the dead, To which the comment may be made that the

sight of fortifications on the right bank probably gives the

Russians an uneasy feeling. It is idle now to a portion blame.

A state of nervous tension runs along the whole northerly front-

ier and constitutes the only apparent threat to the stability

of Manchoukuo, In itself it scarcely presents any danger; the

frontier is well guarded. So long as Japan herself is not

enfeebled by the restless ambition of her military, anchoukuo

may be regarded as reasonably secure.

23.

An instance of the strained relations between the two

countries occurred in November 1938 when in retaliation for

similar measures taken against anchoukuo Consuls at Blagoves-

chensk and chita, the Soviet Consulate-General at Harbin was

isolated for a short period from the outside world, all supplies

were prohibited and light and water were cut.

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