Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

895.01/88: Telegram

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

Chungking, March 28, 1942—9 a.m.
[Received 11:05 p.m.]

285. Reference Department’s 199, March 20, 9 p.m. regarding Korea. The Embassy has continued to follow this subject here and finds no substantial change in the situation as understood by the Department.

I do not believe that the proposed general statement of American attitude would serve any useful purpose here at the moment; nor in Korea, until we take the offensive and the tide of military fortune begins to turn against Japan.

I make the suggestion that if any general statement of American attitude is determined upon, the Department might make the gesture of consultation, which China craves as one of the United Nations, by advising with the Chinese Government in advance in regard thereto.

It seems to me here, however, that the subject of Korea is not entirely unrelated to the problem of the independence aspirations of other Asiatic colonial peoples including the Indians. The Chinese seem to be sympathetic toward outright independence for India.²² In view of this situation an American statement on Korea with no indication of the American attitude regarding other Asiatic colonial peoples might be inopportune.

Gauss

22. For correspondence on this subject, see pp. 593 ff., passim.