793.94/16348: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received midnight.]
596. 1. I went this morning to call on Chiang Kai-shek at his request. While with him I took the opportunity of communicating to him the substance of the Department’s 196, November 23, 7 p.m.18 He thanked me for the message and commented that he had seen no sign of improvement in German-Russian or in Russo-Japanese relations since Molotov’s trip to Berlin but believed that on the contrary there had been a slight deterioration in the relationships of the countries concerned. The General then made the significant statement that during the past 2 weeks the Soviet Russian attitude vis-à-vis China “had changed for the better”.
2. The Generalissimo said that he was much gratified to learn of President Roosevelt’s action in granting a further credit of $100,000,000 [Page 703] to China19 and Secretary Hull’s announcement to the press that the United States would continue to recognize the legally constituted Government at Chungking and remarked that the United States had shown its true friendship by extending a helping hand at a time when China is in critical need of assistance.
3. In a brief discussion of the Japanese action in recognition of the Wang regime,20 General Chiang remarked it is his belief that the act was the result of German instigation and that without German persuasion Japan would not have recognized the Nanking organization. He then expressed the opinion that the Germans and the Japanese “must have a military plan for the carrying out of Japan’s policy of southward expansion” and that Japan may be expected to make a move in the region of the South Seas in the near future.
4. Chiang then requested that I transmit a message whether it would be possible for the American Government to make a formal announcement of its intention not to recognize the puppet regime at Nanking, remarking that if the American Government would issue such a pronouncement and incorporate in it the principles which he had recently communicated to the Government of the United States (see (a) paragraph numbered 3 of my 568 November 9, 5 p.m.) such action would prove of great benefit. I replied that I would transmit his request to the Secretary of State and I added that as soon as I received the text of the statement the Secretary of State is reported to have made to members of the press in regard to the intention of the American Government to continue to recognize the Chinese Government at Chungking I would expect to communicate it to him.
5. In reply to an inquiry from the General, I informed him that apart from the two messages already communicated to him I had received nothing further in response to the proposals recently advanced by him to the American Government.
6. He also inquired if I had received information in regard to any views that the British Government may have expressed to the American Government respecting his proposals. I replied that I had no information on that subject. He then suggested that if the American Government could see fit to urge the British Government to take a constructive position it might prove helpful. I concluded the conversation by saying that I would communicate his suggestions to my Government.
Sent to the Department only.
- Printed in vol. i, section entitled “Relations of Japan With the Axis Powers and With the Soviet Union.”↩
- See President Roosevelt’s statement of November 30, Department of State Bulletin, December 7, 1940, p. 521.↩
- See telegram No. 128, November 30, 11 a.m., from the Second Secretary of Embassy in China, p. 454.↩