893.00/15228
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 12, 1944.]
Sir: Referring to the Embassy’s despatch no. 1862 of November 27, 1943, in regard to the activities of Marshal Li Chi-shen, head of the Kweilin office of the Military Affairs Commission, I have the honor to enclose a copy of airgram no. A–23, December 2, 6 p.m., from the Consulate at Kweilin8 regarding the possible appointment of Marshal Li to a post at Chungking.
Summary. Mr. Service states that it has been reliably reported at Kweilin that Marshal Li has been offered a post at Chungking by General Chiang Kai-shek but that it is believed that Marshal Li has no intention of accepting such an appointment. He will perhaps go [Page 391] into “retirement” in Kwangsi from which he can emerge in the event of a military crisis in south China. It is also reported that the Kweilin office of the Military Affairs Commission, of which Marshal Li is the head, will be reorganized or abolished in the near future. Related to the question of the status of this office are rumors that General Pax Chung-hsi, Deputy Chief of Staff, is soon to be appointed to an important military post in south China. End of Summary.
While the Embassy has been unable to obtain at Chungking any confirmation of the reported activities of Marshal Li looking toward an agreement between certain Chinese military commanders in south and southwest China (Embassy’s despatch no. 1829 of November 18), the above-mentioned reports of offers by General Chiang to Marshal Li of a post at Chungking, of the abolishment of the Kweilin office headed by Marshal Li (confirmed by the Military Attaché) and of the appointment of General Pai to a post in south China may bear some connection with those reported activities. Marshal Li is reliably reported to have refused on numerous occasions to carry out Chungking orders to arrest Chinese liberals at Kweilin suspected of being critical of the Kuomintang and his outspoken criticism of the Central Government during his recent address at Kweilin (Embassy’s despatch under reference) cannot have passed unnoticed by the Chungking leaders.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩