793.94/17050
Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)53
[Washington,] December 2, 1941.
The attached copy of a message dated November 22 from the United States Treasury representative at Hongkong54 contains statements [Page 708] based upon an interview with the former Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs in effect as follows:
- 1.
- There are “pro-Axis” and “peace” groups in the Chinese Government which consider that in the “negotiations” between the United States and Japan, the United States will yield to Japan to a large extent, and which see in these “negotiations” opportunities to consolidate their own position for their special interests in China. The “pro-Axis” group tries to arrange peace with Japan through Germany; the “peace group” tries to bring about peace by direct bargaining with Japan.
- 2.
- There is an anti-Axis group which hopes that the United States will itself bring about a peace involving the withdrawal of Japanese troops from North China.
- 3.
- The third principal body of opinion in China is in favor of continued active resistance and believes that a maximum possibility of peace is less than 50 percent, that the United States will not let China “get worst of bargain.”
S[tanley] K. H[ornbeck]