893.00/15086: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 12—3:16 p.m.]
1438. Embassy’s 1183, July 14, noon. The Military Attaché Colonel DePass, who has recently returned, yesterday received a visit from the Soviet Military Attaché who indicated that the Soviet Government was much concerned over the Kuomintang-Communist situation and who made persistent efforts to elicit information as to the probable attitude of the American Government, especially in regard to the continued furnishing of aid to China, in case actual hostilities between the Kuomintang and the Communist forces should break out. (I am satisfied that DePass handled the conversation properly.)
This continued more or less open Soviet interest in the Kuomintang-Communist situation is of perhaps more than superficial significance. It seems to offer for one thing an illuminating sidelight on present Sino-Soviet relations and might be interpreted as giving some support to fears, which are deeply ingrained in reactionary Kuomintang Government circles, of Russia’s good faith as a partial Ally and of Russia’s future intentions. For example, the line of argument of Chinese officials who have advocated the resolving of the Communist [Page 315] problem by force has been that otherwise, if and when Russia should enter the war against Japan, Russian forces would sweep down through Manchuria and Korea and their Chinese Communist colleagues would take over North China. Now with the Communist question added to other important outstanding Sino-Russian problems the prospects of friendly and sincere cooperation between Russia and China either during or after the war would seem to be lessening rather than increasing.
Repeated to Moscow.