Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, China, Volume VI

893.00/7–644

The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State

No. 2749

Chungking, July 6, 1944.
[Received July 21.]

Sir: I have the honor to enclose⁹⁰ (1) a copy of despatch no. 137, May 20, 1944, from the Secretary on detail at Sian transmitting a tracing of a map of the Communist area in northwest China issued by official Kuomintang sources in Sian and purporting to show the original and the present confines of the Chinese Communist-controlled border areas of Shensi, Kansu, Ninghsia, and Suiyuan; (2) a copy of a memorandum dated June 26, 1944 by Second Secretary John S. Service, on detail to General Stilwell’s Headquarters, pointing out the exaggerated nature of the claims which this map is supposed to support; and (3) copies of a reproduction of a map issued by the Communists illustrating what they assert to be the Central Government encroachments on their base area in north Shensi. This latter map was obtained by Mr. Service.

A comparison of the two maps shows that the area indicated as under Chinese Communist control at the present time is practically identical on both, so we may assume these boundaries to be relatively accurate. As Mr. Service’s memorandum suggests, however, the claim made on the map evidently issued by Chinese Government sources is historically untenable, since all the circumstances of the setting up of the Shensi–Kansu–Ninghsia Border District—not the least important of which is the official adoption by both the Central and Communist regimes of that name, indicating the inclusion in the area of territories in three provinces—tend to disprove the Central Government’s contentions. It is probably correct to say that the Chinese Communists withdrew from their southernmost and westernmost controlled areas at the time of the formal settlement with the Central Government following the Sian incident, and that if there has since been any change in those borders, it has been in the direction of encroachment by the Kuomintang forces under General Hu Tsungnan northward and eastward, rather than in the opposite directions by the numerically weaker Communist troops. However, the Communists have expanded very considerably in areas partially held by the Japanese, and there seems to be no question that what may be termed the “popular base” of the Chinese Communists is gradually but continually growing wider.

Respectfully yours,

C. E. Gauss

90. Enclosures not printed.