Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943

Roosevelt Papers

Madame Chiang to President Roosevelt

confidential

Chungking, December 5, 1943.¹December 5, 1943.¹

My Dear Mr. President: The Generalissimo and I arrived in Chungking on the morning of December 1st. …

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Immediately upon our return the Generalissimo consulted with Dr. Kung regarding the feasibility of the plan which you suggested in our conference regarding the alleviation of China’s urgent economic situation. Dr. Kung has studied its possibilities with great care and he wishes me to tell you that, in his opinion, your suggestion is both generous and kind and he thinks some feasible procedure could be worked out with the aid of Secretary Morgenthau.² He appreciates the interest and concern you have shown in helping us to fight aggression not only with the military machine, but with economic weapons as well. He is impressed with the fact that you see with such clear foresight and vision that, in order to continue resistance, methods and means must be evolved to hold intact China’s economic security, a fact which you doubtless will remember that the Generalissimo emphasized was even more critical than the military.

The Generalissimo is now thinking of asking Dr. Kung or his appointee, empowered with full credentials, to go to Washington to discuss the details with the American Government and would like to know whether this is satisfactory to you. It would, of course, be best if Dr. Kung could go himself, but, failing that, he will send one of his trusted men to go in his stead.

I need not tell you how grateful we feel that you have promised to speak to the Treasury about the two hundred million gold bar arrangement.

The Generalissimo wishes me to thank you again for your promise to help stabilize the fapi.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mayling Soong Chiang
(Madame Chiang Kai-shek)

1. Delivered to Roosevelt at the White House on December 22, 1943.
1. Delivered to Roosevelt at the White House on December 22, 1943.
2. The plan, as suggested subsequently by Roosevelt to Morgenthau, involved the selling of dollar currency for yuan to be resold to China after the war at no profit to the United States Government. See United States Relations With China, p. 488.