893.00/14985
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Ambassador in China (Gauss)18
At dinner last evening with the Generalissimo, I informed him that I had received a message from Washington asking me to come home for consultation, and commented that I had not been in the United States since my country had entered the war and it seemed desirable therefore that I get into personal contact with the Government.
Generalissimo Chiang expressed interest and asked me when I would be leaving. I replied that I had not yet made definite arrangements and that I did not feel that I could do so until I had his permission to leave. He acknowledged the courtesy, and interposed no objection to my leaving.
[Page 16]During the course of our conversation throughout dinner he asked me to convey his respects to the President, and to Mr. Hull and Mr. Welles. He asked me particularly to say to Mr. Hull and Mr. Welles that he deeply and sincerely appreciated their friendly attitude toward China and their desire to place relations between the United States and China on a basis of equality and reciprocity; and he appreciated the speed with which steps were taken to give effect to that desire in the negotiation of the recent treaty.
The Generalissimo also during the conversation referred to Ambassador Grew and his “Report from Tokyo”. He said that he admired Ambassador Grew and he wished me when I saw Mr. Grew to express to him that admiration.
I referred in courteous commendation to the Generalissimo’s recent message to Thailand.19 He was pleased; and said that I might report to Mr. Hull that the Thai troops have been in contact with the Chinese and have said that they do not intend to fight the Chinese; when the time comes they will be on China’s side. I commented that I wondered whether the same would not hold true for example as to the Koreans that the Japanese are recruiting and the Manchurian troops (I refrained from referring to the Wang Ching-wei puppet troops); that at the proper moment they would turn against the Japanese. The Generalissimo agreed.
Speaking of Japanese-Russian relations, I sounded out the Generalissimo as to whether he believed that Japan was still likely to attack Russia, saying that we have heard of course, as had he, that Germany has been urging Japan to attack in Siberia. The Generalissimo said that he still believed that such an attack might be made; and in reply to my inquiry as to whether Japan has sufficient reserve strength to give to an offensive against Russia the Generalissimo said that he believed that Japan has sufficient reserve strength; he agreed however that it would be a fatal move on the part of Japan and said it would shorten the war.
He then made the comment that Russia likely would have been in the war against Japan before this if there had been closer cooperation politically among the United Nations. He felt, he said, that there should be closer political cooperation. I asked whether the Pacific war council at Washington did not give opportunity for exchange of views on these subjects. He admitted that it did give some opportunity.
Speaking of Madame Chiang’s visit to the United States, the Generalissimo asked me to express his appreciation of the cordiality of her reception, etc., etc. He commented that he was concerned as to Madame Chiang’s health; whether the demands on her were not too [Page 17] heavy. I laughingly commented that the Americans are very much like the Chinese toward their visitors; they welcome them strenuously, and sometimes the programs are too extensive; Madame Chiang should not accept invitations beyond her strength and should be firm in declining too heavy a burden.
When I took leave of the Generalissimo, he expressed the hope that I would return to Chungking soon.