740.0011 Pacific War/2642
The Secretary of State to the Chief of Staff (Marshall)
My Dear General Marshall: We have just received from Ambassador Gauss at Chungking a telegram85 of which I send you here enclosed a careful paraphrase.
We concur fully in what evidently is Ambassador Gauss’ view that no move should be made and no step be taken which might arouse or give ground for the slightest suspicion on the part of the Chinese of any lack of confidence in them, and we fully endorse the position taken by Mr. Gauss.
You will recall that as recently as April 28 the President said:
“… The Japanese may cut the Burma Road; but I want to say to the gallant people of China that no matter what advances the Japanese may make, ways will be found to deliver airplanes and munitions of war to the armies of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
“We remember that the Chinese people were the first to stand up and fight against the aggressors in this war; and in the future an unconquerable China will play its proper role in maintaining peace and prosperity not only in Eastern Asia but in the whole world.”86
In our opinion the effort of this Government and of all of its agencies should be directed toward carrying out the spirit and the letter of that [Page 45] statement of policy and intention. Any utterance or act of any of our agencies implying an intention or expectation contrary to that statement would, in our opinion, be most unfortunate; and a formulation or execution of a plan involving withdrawal of our Military Mission to China might, in our opinion, have an effect highly prejudicial to the interests of this country in the Far East and to the part which it has been and is hoped that China will play in the United Nations’ effort.
We believe and we suggest that an instruction should be sent to General Magruder—and if need be to other U. S. Military Authorities in the China theater and adjoining theaters—to the effect that discussion of or any preparations for withdrawal from Chungking and China, at this time, are not to be engaged in.
Sincerely yours,