793.94/15367: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 10—5 a.m.]
523. Following is substance of a message which Rajchman14 asked McHugh to send for him to Ambassador Bullitt. He informs Bullitt that he would be grateful if Mandel15 informed that Chiang Kai Shek is determined to resist and resents French diplomatic suggestion of compromise with Japan. Says it is important that supplies now at [Haiphong?] and in transit reach interior as rapidly as possible. He presumes that arrangements conveyed through him still stand and that French Government is therefore ready to set up proposed transit Bureau. He is proceeding to Hanoi next week to meet Catrou16 and trusts that Catsamara17 has been authorized to discuss freely with him this and other questions which were arranged at time of his departure from Paris. Says apprehension exists here of a liquidating deal between Allies and Japan which might result in difficulties over the further use of Burma and Indo-China routes and that this feeling is being exploited here by Soviet sympathizers and those other Communists. Says that it is important that Allies firmly reassure China on this point and affirm that they will not condone Japanese aggression. He points out that fresh supplies from the West must necessarily originate predominately from United States unless China is to be thrown exclusively on dependence upon Soviet Russia particularly since China aviation now depends largely upon Soviet pilots. Says Chinese leaders appreciate his sympathies.
We did not endeavor to communicate this message to Ambassador Bullitt, merely to send it to Washington there to be dealt with as Department considered fitting.