893.00/12–2844
The Appointed Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State 28
Dear Ed: I am grateful to you for my appointment as Ambassador to China.29 I fully realize the significance of the appointment in these critical times.
I read with interest the outline of the reorganization of the State Department30 and the names of the new “tophands” who have been [Page 201] given the key positions. I congratulate you on your own appointment and on having a competent team through which to execute the policies of your office.
I will not attempt to give you a complete outline of the situation here. The constant failure of the Chinese Army to stop the enemy drive is creating a degree of consternation. We are not pessimistic about the final results in China. If Wedemeyer is permitted to use all, or as much as he needs, of the Chinese and American forces now in Burma along with the forces he has in China, I am confident that he will stop the Japanese drive on Kunming. All of the things Wedemeyer is doing now should have been done six months or a year ago. It was quite apparent to me when I first arrived that the Japanese objective was our base at Kunming and this was also the opinion of the Generalissimo. The American military officials, however, were not convinced that Kunming was the objective.
I am familiar with the British forces that are in North Africa, Egypt, Palestine, the Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and India. I know that Lord Mountbatten has sufficient forces to replace anything that Wedemeyer may take out of Burma. Our situation here is desperate and if we do not stop the Japs before Kunming all the protestations we may make will have no effect on the verdict of history. America will have failed in China. For that reason I think that you should use all of your power to give Wedemeyer what victory requires. I think you know Wedemeyer. I have been working in rather intimate relation with him. I think he has what the prize fighters call the “wallop”. Up to this time, in my opinion, he has not made a single mistake which in itself is unusual. We should always give a soldier the regular percentage for “overs and shorts”. If we give him adequate power he will stop the Japs.
As the Embassy has telegraphed to you, we are quietly suggesting the departure of nonessential American civilians from China but are not officially advising Americans to withdraw although we are, of course, keeping our plans up to date as a precautionary measure.
I had intended to make a quick trip home for conferences with the State and War Departments and the President and to put some of my personal affairs in order. If the situation here continues to deteriorate, however, I will not leave at this time. We figured that nothing final would happen until sometime in February. That would have given me an opportunity to go home and return here for the decisive battle. Uneasiness is increasing so it may be desirable for me to remain here.
George Atcheson, Chargé d’Affaires, wired you under date of December 1st, message No. 1927,31 requesting that my credentials be telegraphed [Page 202] and reporting that the Chinese Government was agreeable to accepting them by telegraph. He suggested that this be done because of the critical situation now existing and in order to avoid delay. I agree with him that it would be well for me to become Ambassador at the earliest possible time. However, no reply has been received from the Department.32
Notwithstanding our present difficulties both the Embassy and Army Headquarters are functioning efficiently. Today we had a meeting of representatives of all of the official American Organizations, Committees, Missions and Delegations in Chungking. We stated that the Embassy did not wish to interfere with any organization or any individual whose mission has been defined by constituted authority of the United States Government. The purpose of the Embassy is to coordinate the operations of American organizations, commissions and individuals to avoid overlapping or conflicts. The meeting today was the first called by the Embassy of all the American agencies and was heartily approved by all attending. We will have regular weekly meetings in the future. An official report of the meeting will go to you later.
We are all working well together. We have no conflicts now between the Army and the Embassy nor between either of them and the Chinese authorities. We are at least one team with one objective.
With kind regards and best wishes for your health and success I am
Your friend,
- Copy transmitted to President Roosevelt by the Secretary of State with his memorandum of December 28. Edward R. Stettinius had been appointed Secretary of State on November 30 following the retirement of Cordell Hull.↩
- Senate confirmation of General Hurley’s nomination took place November 30.↩
- Announcement of reorganization was released to the press December 20; see Department of State Bulletin, December 17, 1944, Supplement, p. 777.↩
- Not printed.↩
- General Hurley’s credentials were sent by telegram No. 1685, December 21, not printed.↩