740.0011 Pacific War/2428: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 8—6:36 a.m.]
526. According to a confidential report, the Generalissimo addressing his military council on May 6 pointed out that the situation for China during the next few months would be serious but expressed confidence in China’s ability to meet it. He said that if Japan did not attack Russia it would probably renew military operations in China—in Hunan and Chekiang, for example. British failure to accord Chinese full cooperation was in a measure responsible for defeat in Burma, he said. He expressed his belief that the United States would give all possible aid to China, mentioning specifically aviation. He made estimate that Japan had reached peak of military activity which could not be maintained longer than 4 or 5 months.