Telegram from President Harry S. Truman to Ambassador Patrick J. Hurley

NLT-330 THE SEGRET DECLASSIFIED by authority State Dept Its of NARS 8-10-12 NL memo to NLT 4 JUNE 1945 s. mo CECRET 4-12-73 PRIORITY Initials BK2 Date 5/20/14 JUN is FROM: OPNAV 9795 TO : COMNAVGROUP, CHINA 0415132, NCR UHBSQ NUMBER 282. TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL FROM THE PRESIDENT FOR AMBASSADOR HURLEY. I have studied carefully your messages May 201118 and 282000, and your letter dated 13 May delivered by Mr. Paul Patterson. I fully appreciate the frank statement of the military situation in China at the present time as it appears from your point of view and your equally frank estimate of the world wide political intentions of those European Nations that are allied with us in this war. You may be assured that these matters are receiving full consideration in America's planning for the future. I have not yet received any official information that Great Britain wishes to obtain command of the Chinese Armies, and there does not at the present time appear to be any promise of improvement by changing the existing command set up in the China Theater. Many of the questions presented in your above noted communications may be discussed in a forthcoming tripartite conference. ZUQ10 You may expect in the near future instructions to endeavor to obtain approval by Chiang Kai-shek of a military-political matter of the highest importance that, if it is approved, will radically and favorably change the entire military picture in your area. For your information only, Soong is going to Moscow to discuss the same matter. To avoid leakage of highly secret information, the above mentioned instructions - 1 - FOP SEGME