711.93/457: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 22—7:35 a.m.]
580. 1. Yesterday evening after the coding of my 579, November 21, 3 p.m.,8 Dr. Hollington Tong called at my residence saying he had come under instructions from the Generalissimo and handed me a document in English which he said was a translation of a message which General Chiang had prepared following his interview with me yesterday morning and which he desired transmitted to President and the Secretary of State. I said that I would of course be glad to forward the message as desired. A summary of that message is going forward in my 581, November 22, 1 p.m.9
2. The Department will note that the two “points” or “measures” mentioned in Chiang’s message vary in important respects from two “remedies” reported in paragraph numbered 2 of my 579.
3. I have endeavored on various occasions to impress on Chiang and the Foreign Minister that I doubt very seriously whether the American Government would be prepared to enter into advance commitments to China or any other country and I have also attempted to discourage Chinese hopes of the early delivery of any substantial number of planes to China. Nevertheless it seems that Chiang is still hopeful of obtaining an American commitment in respect of assistance to China in the maintenance of certain stated principles in relation to the Far East and American “support” or “indorsement” of a Sino-British alliance.
4. In discussing this subject informally with Tong yesterday evening, I learned that it is his private opinion that Great Britain’s decision concerning support of and closer relations with China will be governed by developments in the American attitude vis-à-vis China.
Sent to the Department only.