893.00/12418: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 26—4:10 a.m.]
708. Following from Foochow:
“August 25, 7 p.m. An American missionary at Yenping telegraphed this afternoon that Wangtai, about 45 li from Yenping, had been taken by Communist forces and that the situation at Yenping was critical. He requested that the Consulate telegraph to the officials at Yenping to release a launch for the use of evacuating Americans. The Consulate telegraphed immediately an appropriate request to General Liu Ho-ting, commanding the troops at Yenping, and then succeeded in having similar telegrams despatched from the Provincial Government, Peace Preservation Corps and the local representative of General Liu.
A later telegram from the missionary stated that the local officials requested that he ‘Notify Consul they take responsibility for our safety’.
In its reply, the Consulate urged that he take no unnecessary risks.
There are four Americans in Yenping, two in Kienningfu and one in Kienyang. All have been notified by telegraph.”