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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Republic of China
P
Y
4645 Delafield Avenue
Riverdale, N. Y.
June 3, 1950
Dear Mr. President:
I feel constrained to acquaint you with a new development from Formosa.
A campaign is afoot to represent that Chiang Kai-shek and myself are prepared
to co-operate in order to secure American aid.
Immediately after his illegal assumption of presidency, Chang Kai-shek
sought American aid by grossly exaggerating his military exploits and promising
political and economic reforms. Both of these strategies did not make an im-
pression on your government.
Failing in these manoeuvres, he is now exploiting co-operation with me
as a measure of pressure on your government, designed to show the world that
if American aid is still not given when two leaders combined to defend the last
bastion of Free China you are not only dissatisfied with him, Chiang Kai-shek,
but that you actually are abandoning the Chinese people and China as a nation.
The instrument in this campaign is Mr. Albert Chow. Before proceeding
to Hongkong more than a month ago he was approached in New York by Dr. James
Yu, Chinese Ambassador to Italy and Mr. Liu Chieh, Chinese Ambassador to
Canada, both proteges of Mme Chiang Kai-shek. As soon as he arrived in Hong-
kong he announced that the American government would not aid either Chiang or
Li if they did not co-operate, and that should they work together then aid would
be fortheoming for the defence of Formosa.
When he left Hongkong for Formosa he announced that he had brought a
letter from the State Department to your Charge l'Affairs in Formosa, and that
the American consul in Hongkong had urged him to make the trip and endorsed
his views, evidently to makebelief that his effort was initiated by the State
Department.
While in Formosa he acted as if he were an emissary of myself, to offer
co-operation to Chiang in order to hearten the disillusioned officers on the island.
He is now returning to this country, bringing with him letters from Chiang's
followers and some of my subordinates, who were evidently deceived by him,
letters with one aim, pleading for co-operation.
The technique and all the details of this plan are designed by Chiang Kai-shek
himself. It is plain that Chiang Kai-shek has lost all confidence of the Chinese
people and his regime has long been proved incompetent and hopeless. It is entire-
ly out of the question for me to work with him. Of course, I am convinced that
China can be saved, but without him.
Yours sincerely,
/s/ Li Tsung-jen
His Excellency Harry S. Truman
President of the United States
White House
the ARCHIVES "NATIGWAL RECORDS SERVICE'* AND
Washington, D. C.
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"ocrText": "OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT\nRepublic of China\nP\nY\n4645 Delafield Avenue\nRiverdale, N. Y.\nJune 3, 1950\nDear Mr. President:\nI feel constrained to acquaint you with a new development from Formosa.\nA campaign is afoot to represent that Chiang Kai-shek and myself are prepared\nto co-operate in order to secure American aid.\nImmediately after his illegal assumption of presidency, Chang Kai-shek\nsought American aid by grossly exaggerating his military exploits and promising\npolitical and economic reforms. Both of these strategies did not make an im-\npression on your government.\nFailing in these manoeuvres, he is now exploiting co-operation with me\nas a measure of pressure on your government, designed to show the world that\nif American aid is still not given when two leaders combined to defend the last\nbastion of Free China you are not only dissatisfied with him, Chiang Kai-shek,\nbut that you actually are abandoning the Chinese people and China as a nation.\nThe instrument in this campaign is Mr. Albert Chow. Before proceeding\nto Hongkong more than a month ago he was approached in New York by Dr. James\nYu, Chinese Ambassador to Italy and Mr. Liu Chieh, Chinese Ambassador to\nCanada, both proteges of Mme Chiang Kai-shek. As soon as he arrived in Hong-\nkong he announced that the American government would not aid either Chiang or\nLi if they did not co-operate, and that should they work together then aid would\nbe fortheoming for the defence of Formosa.\nWhen he left Hongkong for Formosa he announced that he had brought a\nletter from the State Department to your Charge l'Affairs in Formosa, and that\nthe American consul in Hongkong had urged him to make the trip and endorsed\nhis views, evidently to makebelief that his effort was initiated by the State\nDepartment.\nWhile in Formosa he acted as if he were an emissary of myself, to offer\nco-operation to Chiang in order to hearten the disillusioned officers on the island.\nHe is now returning to this country, bringing with him letters from Chiang's\nfollowers and some of my subordinates, who were evidently deceived by him,\nletters with one aim, pleading for co-operation.\nThe technique and all the details of this plan are designed by Chiang Kai-shek\nhimself. It is plain that Chiang Kai-shek has lost all confidence of the Chinese\npeople and his regime has long been proved incompetent and hopeless. It is entire-\nly out of the question for me to work with him. Of course, I am convinced that\nChina can be saved, but without him.\nYours sincerely,\n/s/ Li Tsung-jen\nHis Excellency Harry S. Truman\nPresident of the United States\nWhite House\nthe ARCHIVES \"NATIGWAL RECORDS SERVICE'* AND\nWashington, D. C."
}