Telegram from Smyth to Secrertary of State George C. Marshall

INCOMING TELEGRAM DEPARTMENT OF STATE-DIVISION OF COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS TELEGRAPH BRANCH 17-N A Action: FE Info: Control 654 SS C Rec1'd December 2, 1948 EUR 10:32 p.m. OLI CIA FROM: Tientsin AAN EURX TO: Secretary of State ARCHIVES MATIONAL SERVICE RECORDE AMD JUNE DCR the LOG NO: 397, December 1, 6 p.m. Since situation reported last paragraph MYTEL 560 to Nanking, local Chinese bitterness toward National Government has greatly increased. Robberies and loot- ings of Chinese homes and shops Tientsin in past 2 weeks by disorganized, defeated Nationalist soldiers from Manchuria (20,000 now here) have added to bitterness against a regime so impotent as to allow this. Recently accelerated rise in food prices has accelerated local feeling. Shelling of city has angered local Chinese who blame GIMO. Widespread corruption and inefficiency of Nationalist civil and military officials continues to broaden and accelerate this feeling. There has been marked intensification of North South antagonism, populace generally indicating desire to be rid of Nationalist Government officials. looked on as southern carpetbaggers. Fu Tso Y1 is still usually excepted in criticism, but feeling is strong that his. too, is a lost cause in view hordes of Communist troops now released from Manchuria and elsewhere. Noteworthy are increasing spontaneous expressions by Chinese during last few days of resentment against American backing of regime which vast majority local Chinese believe is, and deserves to be, doomed; they feel that it 18 too late for American military aid to be effective and that such aid will merely prolong the agony. Average Tientsin Chinese DECLASSIRIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) OSD letter, 7-15-75 By NLT. He 8 NARS Date 9-13-26 INFORMATION COPY