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9/16/1941 - Mounting Tension; Return to the U.S. via Shanghai by Thomas L. Blakemore

I OR PU LICAIION TLB Aboard President Cleveland enroute Honolulu September Dear Mr Rogers The letter correct seems scarcely possible taken place weeks From middle August I finally decided evacuate I constant first breaking Lake Nojlri getting Shanghai where another passed before boarding President Cleveland Now I Honolulu San Francisco President Harrison The details these A after retala freeze American property Japanese government I Tokyo Lake Ndjiri quest first information Neither Consulate advised possibility getting dollars released America American subsistence Japao steps necessary unfreeze As intern ational outlook embassy friends hesitated prophesy Soe perhaps Japan already conditions precarious continuation study reasonable regard personal safety others forsaw Dossible Japanese American feeling counting shock freezing exchange sides conciliatory frame short while Wnatever might decided evacuation seemed question American ships requisitioned longer called Japanese ports complete cessation Japanese shipping America there simly route direct return Even around first August American Embassy Tokyo trying sometime without success arrange accomodations group language officers officials leave Shanghai backdoor Figuring individual A merican could better I mountains think things developments further Tokyo There pretty reasorS wanting stretch Japan little longer though might involve certain rksof getting interned In November years elementary language study finished Furthermore round library probably would couple months sized imports money items I wanted search second bookstores would And somehow aside peace continued solution Far Eastern problem might permit continue school The question whether situation become grave longer would foolhardy The final weeks Nojiri spent working tutor before becoming aware mounting tension In purely local matters possible incatious drift worse A large scale mobilization quistly unmistakably under police restrictions chaffed never before Leaving resort premises required check local station Te railroad Toiuyo still foreigners military permits travel although stops identification haning cards station police along route frequent But seems about measure freedom travel lsewhere olice regulation Frequently foreigners those wrong nationalities stranded before beteen larger cities At looked rather ominous nothing being relieve individuals nipped freeze Not hundred monthly living allowance which promised freezing ordinance generous attempt matching United States Five hundred dollar rlease Japanese could taken oersonal accounts friends caught pocket I relatively around hundred laying aside emergencies I refused bills until I could Tokyo deposit The merchants carrying summer residents naturally began mutter complaints Americans Japanese government Possibly delay releasing funds nothing sluggishness Finance inistry designated nationals prone darker motives Eventually channels obtaining money authorized began probably individual knows where stands This delay issuing details governing application freezing however indicate Finance inistry caught uapin might Foreign Office itself little surDrised American ackole From middle August things began happen Your cablegram advisingme follow Ambassador Grew advice concerning returning throgh nearly because censorship restrictions transmission English messages A couple later I embassy friends Karuizawa learned feeling grown favor getting found Grew views situation generally knock advice other Americans wereinquiring relayed It seemed fairly certain would recommend immediate return America I ojiri started figuring I could check Having bills chance borrowing until I Tokyo I something corner The suspicious local police nervousness merchants think toward skipping would bring coLmunal variation innkeeper either person property So I spread around story I Tokyo again behind books furniture tutor But missionar friend given whole story instructed debts money vired servants designated nationals could neither checks money orders receive loans agents Several later I located unfrozen remitted personal Institute honor preserved grueling seven stand packed express I Tokyo evening nbassador Grew advice following morning leave first preferably library possesions delay their account proved impossible lairty minutes afterward scramble passage permits leave country which occupied exasperated hundred local Americans weeks The feasabl route Shanghai either lanila Honolulu Normally traveler hurry special regard comfort would twenty chair Nagsaki board boats shuttling Shanghai Or there might Kobe aboard Toa boats which monopoly regular Shanghai Due crisis however foreigner allowed enter Nagasaki Toa refusing passage those improper nationality This being indirectly course reporting ships booked solid couple months N Y K boats Yokohama With Kobe there possibility passage these sailings infrequent irregular The Asama Of ugust practically Americans aboard other those whose previous reservations trans acific N Y K vessels cancelled The Tatsuta JTaru scheduled Kobe Sth after N Y K nothing Some heard Dutch coming Indies normal capacity twelve passengers hundred apDlicants ahead chances bright It looked Tatsuta nothing could The N K attitude resembled Toa first story One kmericans Anerican officials hearing weeks Finally charge hostage taking leveled quarters Foreign Office issued several denials They vould better received leaked Asaa sailed considerable unoccupied space Event ually pressure brought behalf officials carried passages private mericans Whether Embassy influence Dean Hozumi Law School contacted N Y K officials behalf I Friday clerk assured couple utter impossbilitv etting aboard handed ticket reservation without explanation Then problem simpl farewell calls borrow money debts sometime before Tuesday evening deadlin getting Kobe secure following A Permit Finance lnistry close hundred account National City A permit Finance inistry National City Bank A permit Finance inistry through theBank Japan sixty obtained steamship ticket Shanghai A permit Finance inistry through Bank Japan N Y K ticket An authorization theCustom Office Japan personal effects specified minutely detailed A permit Finance Ministry export Japan property value specified approved Customs A permit Police Department leave Japan railroads Kobe A permit Finance inistry Japan funds excess fifty likewise permit change fifty military China secured minutes Kobe A permit inance Jinistry Japan articles containing I0 A permit Education Ministry I believe books written English A certificate Tax Office there vJere unpaid taxes A smallpox vaccination certificate certificates inoculatio against Cholera yphoid Fever Ne photo police album A train ticket Kobe Several these I simply ignored because Thus I effort English books those I brought America except dictionaries Encyclopae Social Sciences which I regard things within classification materials pertaining study Japanese whose export authorized Likewise under caption I succeedSdin carrying entire collection books written Japaneso I declared articles traveler checks asked currency expert permit And certificate payments embarassing Y insisted implicit police O IT Everything I managed somehow In completing collection acquaintancs spent solid weeks going place place inpreter assistant blanks securing space three vorking caused little astonishment Undoubtedly I extremely lucky I worked sveral avantages I started knowing avance everything whereas those before simply groped department another learning requirements progressed doing business people considerable acting messenger yself cases where papers officeto another This pounds fares limited supply effective On V I eleven different business calls between including okohama Understanding speaking Japanese myself another advantage because I could initiative cases where Japanese might hesitated press officials student tatus hinder either Imperial University Law graduates thick various departments Several times Officials looked personal interest tracke which papers stalled action Lastly I never I realized first until Tuesday afternoon there probably would assurance getting It hapDened exactl although first permits started shelling ondayafternoon In burst optmisra I attended combination birthday farev dinnr honor evening offered hostess bottle champagne which holed celebration I whistling The blackest moment Yokohama Custom office where export permit personal effects refused because I sailing Yokohama clearly concerns customs The suggestion Kobe dicker customs office there return Tokyo submit approved Finance Kobe within three silly I countered Conceding jurisdiction customs I asked Yokohama office pretend I leaving Yokohaze articles though Which finally consented strength I necessary Finance inistry oroval going K0be To everything I first class baggage mystery solve After Nojiri packed belongings wired route Tokyo Whe Sunday still turned I combed railway stations which numerous ointless separate those London without finding piece At I sympathetic baggage master Shibuya station Dhoned hours finally found sidetracked freight I their arrival before Tuesday They shortly before repacked parcels under kilos sixty pounds which maximnn weight freight which accompany traveler taggering P Kobe train without reservations I usual overflow enjoyed Lnore aisles Kobe something anticlimax there crisis final check credentials Someone ruling nerican entitled Sake parcels unspecified looked moment I would choos receptacles enough several trunks suitcases But little flashing student exhibiting Finance Ministry export permit which trunks enumerated chalked ecial dispeosation The shaf6 serious befor Y sailed Kobe Post office accepted thirty cable INCWA YORK which I gather never dispatched I reply Ir Brodie until after I repeated Shanghai several later Either killed censors because contained request money which letter Exchange Drobably needs bureau permission because You someday emergency Here slants evacuation whole For period nearly something un_uestionably gumming attempts Americans Japan The various tales packe ships waspretty Japenes right foreigners seemed halve difficulties discrimination hardly could existed without official inspir_tion least official lessing The credible explanations either government feared immediate outbreak stalling whose services might enemies feared internal effect sudden evacuation Outside pressure perhaps passing crisis seemed brought about chancre But I eighty American passengers Tatsuta September sailed Shanghai The trouble connected getting permits evacuate nothing The various bureaus themselves scarcely wanted dealing mostly fresh legislation ordinance There plenty confusion I nothing resembling malicious delay In cases officials lineto realized I quite willing their whatever regarded necessary The police courteouss ccomodating 0thers particularly Vmbassy merican under suslldion unpleasant experiences licatio given unusually consideration twice holding other point chase members foreign division special trivs explain The inconveniences embarkation Kobe greatly exaggerated passengers their press intervie Shanghai It because Army order permitted aboard N Y K docks tender outside breakvater Also crowd waiting couple hours But seems abnormal baggage regular docks which delayed sailing simply management J travel worries continued while after I Japan President Line office hanghai waiting applicants passage America At first I could better oromise ticket Coolidge sailing October sidered while going anila But windfall Clevland transport which released special evacuation service return America pines As rsfugee Japan I given priority steerage returning refugee traditions Still weather There baggage trouble Shanghai President CleveU loaded tight I excess three trunk filled Japanese Law books I picked Japanese district International settlement Eventually ironed everything seems aboard From Honolulu I class another President Harrison which comes through after By changing I chances Japanese studies there little grass skirt I should San Francisco around first October I touch there S ncerely