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ORE 45
BEGRET
15 September 1947
COPY NO.
1
IMPLEMENTATION OF SOVIET OBJECTIVES IN CHINA
1. Soviet Objectives in China
The long-range Soviet objective in China is believed to be identified
with the Soviet objective in all areas adjacent to the USSR: to extend the
control and influence of the USSR wherever and whenever possible by all means
short of war, and to reduce the control and influence of other major powers
in such areas. A more limited and more immediate Soviet objective -- rein-
forced by the urge to achieve security from foreign aggression --
aims
toward
continuing control over the resources and development of Manchuria, and the
maintenance there of a regime sympathetic to the USSR. Manchuria forms
a
vital strategic link with Korea and the Soviet Maritime Territory, and
possesses agricultural and raw material wealth that significantly complements
the expanding industrial potential of Eastern Siberia. At the same time,
denial to the Chinese National Government of Manchuria's substantial resources
and industrial potential tends to weaken China's ability to offer effective
resistance to further Soviet expansion. While Manchuria represents the major
direction of current Soviet interests, the USSR will continue to exploit the
opportunities for expanding its influence in other border areas of China:
Inner Mongolia and Sinkiang Province.
2.
Recent Actions by the USSR to Further Its Objectives
Certain measures which the Soviet Union has taken to further its objectives
during the past two years are clearly evident. They include: (1) negotiation
of the Sino-Soviet Treaty of 14 August 1945, whose terms assured the USSR a
position of influence in Manchuria; (2) management of the Soviet occupation
of Manchuria in the period August 1945 to late April 1946 so as to hinder
the movement of Nationalist troops, facilitate the establishment of Chinese
Communist control, and contribute substantially to the military potentiality
of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by affording the latter an opportunity
to "capture" a large volume of Japanese arms and equipment; (3) the stripping
of Manchurian industries; and (4) effective denial of the Dairen area to the
Chinese National Government through a legalistic interpretation of the Sino-
Soviet Treaty. These measures, which are more fully described in Enclosure A,
have had the effect of strengthening the potential of the CCP or of weakening
that of the Chinese National Government. They have thus tended to promote a
balance of power between the opposing Chinese forces, and to intensify the
civil conflict and the attendant conditions of instability and chaos in China.
Although continuation of civil conflict and instability in China effectively
serves Soviet interests and aims, there is little further action that the USSR
need take to promote such conditions, so long as the Chinese Nationalist mili-
tary administration remains in its existing state of incompetence and
- 1 -
SECRET
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"ocrText": "ORE 45\nBEGRET\n15 September 1947\nCOPY NO.\n1\nIMPLEMENTATION OF SOVIET OBJECTIVES IN CHINA\n1. Soviet Objectives in China\nThe long-range Soviet objective in China is believed to be identified\nwith the Soviet objective in all areas adjacent to the USSR: to extend the\ncontrol and influence of the USSR wherever and whenever possible by all means\nshort of war, and to reduce the control and influence of other major powers\nin such areas. A more limited and more immediate Soviet objective -- rein-\nforced by the urge to achieve security from foreign aggression --\naims\ntoward\ncontinuing control over the resources and development of Manchuria, and the\nmaintenance there of a regime sympathetic to the USSR. Manchuria forms\na\nvital strategic link with Korea and the Soviet Maritime Territory, and\npossesses agricultural and raw material wealth that significantly complements\nthe expanding industrial potential of Eastern Siberia. At the same time,\ndenial to the Chinese National Government of Manchuria's substantial resources\nand industrial potential tends to weaken China's ability to offer effective\nresistance to further Soviet expansion. While Manchuria represents the major\ndirection of current Soviet interests, the USSR will continue to exploit the\nopportunities for expanding its influence in other border areas of China:\nInner Mongolia and Sinkiang Province.\n2.\nRecent Actions by the USSR to Further Its Objectives\nCertain measures which the Soviet Union has taken to further its objectives\nduring the past two years are clearly evident. They include: (1) negotiation\nof the Sino-Soviet Treaty of 14 August 1945, whose terms assured the USSR a\nposition of influence in Manchuria; (2) management of the Soviet occupation\nof Manchuria in the period August 1945 to late April 1946 so as to hinder\nthe movement of Nationalist troops, facilitate the establishment of Chinese\nCommunist control, and contribute substantially to the military potentiality\nof the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by affording the latter an opportunity\nto \"capture\" a large volume of Japanese arms and equipment; (3) the stripping\nof Manchurian industries; and (4) effective denial of the Dairen area to the\nChinese National Government through a legalistic interpretation of the Sino-\nSoviet Treaty. These measures, which are more fully described in Enclosure A,\nhave had the effect of strengthening the potential of the CCP or of weakening\nthat of the Chinese National Government. They have thus tended to promote a\nbalance of power between the opposing Chinese forces, and to intensify the\ncivil conflict and the attendant conditions of instability and chaos in China.\nAlthough continuation of civil conflict and instability in China effectively\nserves Soviet interests and aims, there is little further action that the USSR\nneed take to promote such conditions, so long as the Chinese Nationalist mili-\ntary administration remains in its existing state of incompetence and\n- 1 -\nSECRET"
}