893.00/7–747: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 7—7:58 a.m.]
1471. Late Sunday night, July 6, Ambassador delivered message from Secretary (reDeptel 821, July 3) to Generalissimo. There follows a summary of meeting prepared by Embassy from recounting made by the Ambassador just prior to his departure for Peiping at 9 a.m., July 7:
The Ambassador informed Generalissimo that he had a message for him from the Secretary and pointed out that he had been expecting [Page 229] such a message for some time. He said delay was accountable to many factors, including the Secretary’s concern with critical global as well as regional and local situations. The Ambassador stressed his confidence that the US wishes to assist and strengthen China as a free nation, but that it was most difficult task to decide upon an effective kind of aid and method by which it might be rendered. The Ambassador stressed that military aid alone would not lead toward the type of development in China which the US holds essential for China’s own good. With this the message was handed to the Generalissimo; Secretary Shen19 translated it at once.
The Generalissimo then stated that he thoroughly understood the meaning of the message and that he had heard these points from General Marshall when he was in China. He further asked that his gratitude be conveyed to General Marshall for this renewed expression.
The Generalissimo then inquired of the Ambassador what his interpretation of the message was. The Ambassador responded that he had many times outlined to the Generalissimo the type of adjustments which were considered prerequisites to a more positive policy and assistance on the part of the US. The type of change which the Ambassador said he had in mind centered around basic reform through constitutional institutions within the body of the Govt, including the delegation of more authority, the establishment and visible maintenance and protection of civil liberties, and the actual development of a more intimate working relationship between Govt and people.
The Ambassador indicated that the general mobilization resolution recently put forth (Embtel 1465, July 5)20 had in some of its parts certain of the ideas for reform which his Govt thought were so necessary, but that there was no assurance that this new order would mean more than many which had come before. The Ambassador again stressed the need for drastic overall reform. The Generalissimo responded that he understood what was meant and that he would undertake to do something along these lines as soon as possible. He asked again that his thanks be conveyed to the Secretary, and the interview ended.
- Presumably Gen. Shen Chang-huan, private secretary to Generalissimo Chiang.↩
- The mobilization resolution was passed by the State Council, July 4; for text as contained in telegram No. 1465 of July 5 from the Ambassador in China, see Department of State, United States Relations With China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949), p. 746.↩