793.94/15517: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 29—4:27 a.m.]
614. Leaders of the Chinese Government show little sign of discouragement because of the loss of Nanning and closing of motor road on the 24th. They have always admitted the inability of Chinese forces because of insufficiency of mechanized equipment including airplanes to withstand large scale attacks when the enemy can utilize such devices but seem confident that the lost ground can be recovered and the road opened again in say 3 or 4 months. They do feel some anxiety however lest increased ability of the Japanese to force their threats against Lung Yun, the Yunnan leader, may lead him to interpose obstacles to the use of the remaining southwest transportation routes although against his own inclination. The Embassy has been told in reply to questions that National Government troops did not assist in the defense of Nanning because the Kwangsi authorities did not desire such forces to enter the province but that the Government will send its own forces to attempt recapture.
Repeated to Peiping, Shanghai, Chungking; text by air mail to Yunnanfu.