“Tokyo, 29 January 1938, 1430 p.m. “Arrived 29 January 1938, 1145 a.m. “No. 52 of 29 January. Re: Telegram of 25, No. 32.* "*) Pol. I 201 g (VIII) "Since the Japanese Government has emphatically fixed its standpoint not only by the well-known declara¬tion, but in the meantime, also repeatedly in reply to interpellations in the Diet, /namely/ not to react under any circumstances to any peace feelers of the Hankow Government, I have misgivings against transmission of the statement of the Chinese Ministry for Commerce since it might possibly be considered as a hidden new attempt of Germany to mediate. "Identical to Hankow. /s/ Dirksen" (6) Chancellor HITLER assumed supreme command of the military and naval forces of Germany on 4 February 1938, made major changes in the German Army, and replaced VON NEURATH with VON RIBBENTROP as German Foreign Minister, as prelude to incorporation of Austria and the Sudetenland in the Reich. Proof (a)Document 223 O, (Exhibit No. ), “Events Leading up to World War II,” p. 142. “February 4 /1938/. Joachin von RIBBENTROP replaced Constantin von NEURATH as German Foreign Minister. (As prelude to incorporation of Austria and the Sudetenland in the Reich.)