Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Far East: China, Volume VII

893.00/6–2747: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, June 27, 1947—6 p.m.
[Received June 27—12:33 p.m.]

1412. Following is Shanghai’s 1144 of June 26, 5 p.m. just received:

“Mayor K. C. Wu, during dinner conversation 25th with visiting American publishers of Round World Flight, stated that China now has conclusive proof that Chinese Communists using several divisions of Korean troops trained in North Korea and six divisions of Communist forces trained by Russians in Russia. Mayor stated Chinese had confessions of captured soldiers to prove these facts and that there was no doubt China was fighting third world war on behalf of US. He asked if it would take second Pearl Harbor to arouse Americans to their danger.

All publishers at table—Mrs. Ogden Reid, Mrs. Oveta Hobby, Gardner Cowles, Marshall Field and Roy Howard—disagreed Mayor’s last statement. Cowles asked Mayor why American correspondents knew nothing of the Russian and Korean-trained forces fighting with the Communists. Mayor only reiterated that Chinese had proof and suggested publishers talk to Colonel Yeaton⁸³ (former Assistant MA, Shanghai, and former Commander, Yenan observer group) who Mayor said, also had proof of Russian connection with Chinese Communists.

Mayor stated only US could bring this to attention of world but Cowles, Field and Mrs. Reid said it was matter for UN” to act on. Mayor then said UN should send Investigating Commission immediately to China but declared China, remembering her experience with League of Nations would not take matter to UN unless assured US willing to back Chinese request for Investigating Commission. Mayor suggested to publishers that Secretary Marshall take up this subject with Chinese through diplomatic channels.

Mayor insisted repeatedly that Russia was beginning third world war in China. Mayor said only way for Chinese to bring this fact to attention of world would be by dramatic withdrawal to line along Yellow River, letting iron curtain fall over Peiping, Tientsin and Manchuria, shutting out exports and business as well as all contract [contact] with points north of the line.

Publishers disagreed with Mayor’s proposal and Howard asked why Mayor favored this withdrawal rather than withdrawal to traditional line of the Great Wall. Conversation turned to other points without Mayor answering.

Mayor Wu stated there were 2,000 Chinese Communist agents in Shanghai but all were known and under surveillance, but since China was democratic country, sufficient evidence had to be secured before these agents could be arrested even though state of war existed. Mayor said if he was war lord, he would just issue orders to shoot down 50 of them on the streets—and I know which 50—and then there would be no further trouble in this city.

Turning to the Marshall Mission, Mayor stated that General Marshall came to China after success and when he met defeat in the Kuomintang-Chinese Communist negotiations he left Chinese very bitter toward the Government. Mayor said his statement showed he blamed the Chinese Communists for the defeat but felt the Government also was to blame. “But, as you well know, it is impossible to get Communists and Democrats together. Look at the US and Russia.” Mayor said he knew Marshall could only meet with failure because he represented Generalissimo during Hurley⁸⁴ attempt to get the two groups together. At this point, Howard chimed in to say that the Marshall Mission was a duplicate of the Hurley Mission and foredoomed to failure from the start, and that the only difference was that Marshall was a more able and balanced negotiator than Hurley. Others disagreed and said Marshall clearly put blame where it belonged in his statement.⁸⁵

In discussion of United Nations, Mayor felt UN was merely sounding-board and would not be able to do much toward cause of peace. Howard agreed with Mayor, but Mrs. Reid and others defended UN and said it was up to members to get behind it and make it work, not just sit back hopefully wishing it would work, for world peace.

On 24th publishers made brief visit to Nanking where Generalissimo and Madame Chiang received them. Generalissimo expressed Chinese faith in United Nations in answer to question. Generalissimo said Manchuria was critical spot in world and world’s future peace would be determined by course of events there. Publishers had expected to have long off-record conference with Generalissimo and appeared disappointed over outcome.

Party departed for Tokyo 26th. Embassy repeat to Department in its discretion. Davis.”

Following are Embassy’s comments:

(1) Inasmuch as Pan Am plane was delayed in reaching Shanghai and editors had to change planes and return for afternoon reception Shanghai, their stay here was limited to short and unnoteworthy call upon Generalissimo and Madame Chiang.

(2) Reference is made to Embtel 1409, June 27, 2 p.m. In this connection, Minister-Counselor informally called Vice-Minister George Yeh’s attention to categoric statements now being made by highly-placed Chinese officials, including Mayor Wu, and asked whether it was Foreign Office’s intention to make public the cited evidence of direct Soviet assistance to Chinese Communists. Yeh indicated that he was now in process of sifting such evidence as had been given Foreign Office by Minister National Defense and he hoped to be able to produce something in a few days. Speaking personally and confidentially, he expressed opinion that such statements should never have been made in the way they were made and indicated that he was having a very difficult time selecting the real from the bogus and that he was concerned lest the Chinese Govt make a public statement which, upon inspection, would prove to be insufficient.

Sent Shanghai, repeated Department.

Stuart

83. Ivan D. Yeaton, U. S. A.
84. Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Hurley, Special Representative of President Roosevelt in China in 1944 and subsequently Ambassador in China until November 1945.
85. January 7; for text, see Department of State Bulletin, January 19, 1947, p. 83; United States Relations With China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949), p. 686.