893.248/232
Captain James Roosevelt, U. S. M. C., of the Office of the Coordinator of Information, to Mr. Harry Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt 81
Dear Harry: I know the enclosed82 has been described as just another hysterical letter from one of the three groups, British, Russian, and Chinese yelling for help. I do feel, however, very strongly that something definite, concrete, and honest should be done about it.
After all, from a long range point of view, when this war is over, China can be the greatest export market for many years to come that this country has ever seen. I am convinced from personal observations that they are going to have the fastest growing civilization when that time does come. All of this can be true only if they have been sold on our friendship and actual support. Unlike other countries, their tradition has been, and is, to remember their friends. Russia will throw us out of the window, England will use us for her own gain when she is strong and able to do so, but China will use us as a friend. Their ancestor religion may be responsible for this attitude, but let’s not miss the chance of taking advantage of it.
Above all else, the most tragic part of the letter for the Chinese mind are the promises and telegrams specifying numbers and amounts all of which turn out to be just so much “bunk.”
I specify this because after all I have been there and I do know the state of their mind and the things which mean much to them. If we miss the boat on this, someone should be very soundly kicked!
Sincerely,
- Copy transmitted to the Under Secretary of State (Welles) by Capt. Roosevelt in his letter of August 22, with the statement: “I hope you will not think that I am intruding on foreign policy, but I felt so strongly about it that I took the liberty of doing so and wanted you to know about it.”↩
- See Dr. T. V. Soong’s letter of August 16, p. 705.↩