740.0011 Pacific War/1016c: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)

291. Please deliver to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek the following message from the President:29

“Japan first treacherously attacked and then declared war upon the United States. The Congress has declared the existence of a state of war between the United States and Japan.

In the valiant struggle of resistance which China has carried on for four and a half years against the invading forces of a predatory neighbor, China has been made aware of this country’s sympathy in principle and in practice, China is now being joined in her resistance to aggression by a host of other nations that have been menaced by Japan and the movement of conquest in which Japan is a major participant.

The struggle cannot be easily or quickly brought to a successful end. It will demand of all who are entering it, as it has demanded and will demand of you and your courageous people, concentrated effort and intensive devotion to the common cause of vanquishing the enemy and thereafter establishing a just peace. I take pride in my country’s association with you and the great nation which you lead. I am wholly confident that the struggle in which we are engaged in common with other gallant nations will forge stronger the bonds of traditional friendships and will result inevitably in complete elimination of the lawless forces against which your effort, our effort, and the efforts of our associates are now individually and collectively directed.”

Sent to Chungking.

Hull
  1. In submitting the draft of this message to President Roosevelt on December 9, the Secretary of State wrote: “It is our opinion that you can send the attached to the Generalissimo and we suggest your doing so. You remember that Mr. Churchill did something similar yesterday and with some effect.” President Roosevelt wrote in a notation: “O. K., F. D. R.”