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- it CONP IDENTIAL November 30, 1948 THINA ARCHIVES and "NATIONAL AND RECORD$ Memorandum for the President: : SERVICE' For over half a century the best known and most un- changeable factor in the United States policy in the Pacific has been maintenance of the open door in China. First pre- cisely formulated by Secretary John Hay and supported by friendly powers it has had a profound effect in preserving China's sovereignty. Efforts to close the door or lower an iron curtain on all or part of China have been many but until now no such effort has succeeded. The question today is whether we are witnessing an- other effort to close our door to China this time by a power proven to have sinister skill in closing doors on great areas and multitudes -- Russia. During his mission to China General Marshall ap- parently could not make himself believe that rebels against the Chinese National (Kuomintang) Government were necessarily enemies of the United States. It is not known whether our government now considers such rebels inimical to us, though they call themselves Communists. We are told by many people, including their leader, Mao-Tse Tung, himself that the Communists are faithful to DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, Aug. 9, 1973 - 1 - By NLT- He , NARS Date 2-20-26