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201260924
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Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams
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doc
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document
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1
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id
201260924
contentType
document
title
Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams
citationUrl
collections
Records of the Naval Aide to the President (Truman Administration)
State Department Briefs Files
subjects
Stuart, John Leighton, 1876-1962
Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975
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201260924
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item
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23
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1948-12-23
month
12
year
1948
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description
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nara-archive
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1
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photo
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087595f54ae768b7
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
WASHINGTON
December 23, 1948
SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS
CHINA
In a long review of the situation in China and the problems
which we face today in our policy toward that country,
Ambassador Stuart points out that the major factor to be considered
is Chiang Kai-shek's complete loss of public confidence and the wide-
spread desire in China that he step aside at this critical time.
Stuart therefore believes that any effort to keep Chiang in power
through American aid would not only be undemocratic but would also
arouse greater sympathy for the Communist cause and create violent
anti-American feeling. He also observes that our military observers
are all agreed that any further US aid to the present regime would be
too late to stem the tide.
As a result of Chiang's present unpopularity there is great
confusion and doubt in top governmental circles, and there remain
some prominent leaders such as Hu Shih who continue to feel that only
Chiang can save China from communism. In the face of this situation
Stuart believes that American policy toward China will prove the most
influential among the as yet undetermined factors which will shape the
future course of events. In reaching our final policy decisions Stuart
urges that we not let a justifiable hatred of international communism
blind us to the elements of progress and reform in their Chinese vari-
ety which have such a powerful attraction for the more idealistic of
the Chinese youth.
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402
T
State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979
By NLT- HL
NARS, Date 11-13-to