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Statement Issued by the Chinese Ambassador (C. T. Wang) on June 8, 1938 59
The report carried in some of the newspapers alleging that there is a split between Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, Commander-in-chief of the Chinese army, and General Li Tsung-jen is entirely groundless. It must be fabricated by an interested party with the malicious intention to discredit to the world the unity of the Chinese people.
The plan calling for withdrawal from certain cities which are strategically difficult to defend is a part of the whole plan agreed upon by all the Chinese military leaders and dovetails perfectly with the pronounced policy of the Chinese Government to fight a protracted war and to meet the Japanese army only in the places the topography of which will not give great advantage to their mechanized equipment. It has been more than once proved in the history that the deep penetration of an invaded country does not necessarily give advantage to the invading army. The Japanese may soon find out that their deep penetration into the interior of China, coupled with their employment of inhuman methods of warfare by bombing ruthlessly the open towns, will find a Chinese people increasingly united and more determined than ever to resist them.
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Chinese Embassy on June 8.↩