893.00/14930: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)
301. Your 208, February 8, 1 p.m. In the light of the information contained in your reference telegram, the Department would [Page 728] appreciate receiving your opinion as to the advisability, when personnel is available in China, of assigning two Chinese language officers to the new Consulate at Kweilin, one officer to remain at Kweilin and the other to be available for frequent visits to Kukong, Hengyang, Changsha, Nanning, and perhaps other points in that general area. In this connection, consideration might be given to the question of stationing one officer more or less permanently at Kukong, provisional capital of Kwangtung Province, and reportedly a good listening post for the general Canton-Hong Kong area.
It is suggested that you discuss with the military and naval attachés, as well as with General Stilwell,3 the question of having military and naval observers stationed in or of their making periodic visits to the south China area.
The Department believes that it would be generally advantageous that we maintain adequate official representation in the general area in question. Furthermore, it would of course be most useful to have reliable and current reports on developments in that part of China from which hitherto but little information has been forthcoming.
- Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, Commanding General, United States Army Forces in China, Burma, and India.↩