Office of the Historian

893.001 Chiang Kai-shek/1–2149: Telegram

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

Nanking, January 21, 1949.
[Received January 21—8:53 a. m.]

181. Government Information Office 1600 hours local time 21 January announced Generalissimo has left capital for Fenghua and that, in accordance with constitutional procedure, Vice President will exercise power in his absence.31

Stuart
  1. Maj. Gen. David G. Barr, Director of the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group, China, in his report on operational advice given the Generalissimo on a strictly personal and secret basis as instructed by the Secretary of State (copy transmitted to the Department on April 14 by the Department of the Army), reported as follows concerning a last interview with the Generalissimo: “At a meeting with the Generalissimo on 22 [21?] January 1949, which proved to be the last, the following matters were discussed: (1) The Generalissimo said that he had asked me to come that afternoon in order that he could inform me personally that he had decided to retire from the Presidency temporarily and would leave Nanking immediately. During his temporary retirement, he said General Li Tsung-jen, the Vice President, would act on his behalf. He said that this would be the third time that he had had to retire or resign temporarily and stated that the Chinese people had requested his return on the first two occasions and he was confident that he would be asked to return again soon. He said that he hoped that his temporary departure from Nanking would give ample opportunities to those who so strongly advocated peace, to negotiate with the Communists, but he expressed doubt that the Communists would listen to their appeals. (2) The Generalissimo again expressed deep regret that my ability could not be fully utilized by the Chinese Government during my year’s service in China due to the abnormal conditions and the low intelligence standard of the Chinese military personnel. He said that if he returned to assume the responsibility of the Chinese Government again, he would like for me to return to assist him and China and sincerely hoped that I would consent to come. I told him that it had been a distinct honor and privilege to serve China and the Generalissimo. I said that I regretted that so little had been accomplished by my mission, the activities of which were necessarily limited by the United States Government policy. I said that I had learned to love the Chinese and that I admired tremendously the Generalissimo’s fortitude and determination which had been displayed during my year’s stay in China. I said that I too hoped that I could return to serve China again.” General Barr left Nanking On January 24 (893.20 Mission/4–1449). For quotations of excerpts of his operational report, see United States Relations With China, pp. 325–338.↩