740.0011 PW/8–1544: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 15—10:45 a.m.]
1407. In course of same conversation Soviet Military Attaché (our 1406, August 12 [15]32) said he did not think Jap drive in Hunan would continue much beyond Hengyang because of difficulties of [Page 508] bringing reinforcements and supplies from north but that Japs would launch fresh troops into South China from Hainan Island and strike at Kweilin via Sanning and Liuchow. Indicating he was aware of the coalition movement among southwestern Chinese military commanders (our 1397, August 12 and previous), he said that primary objective of the movement was not to oppose Generalissimo but rather to force him send sufficient good Central Government troops to the area to defend it against Japs, but they were not strong enough either to force Central [Government] to meet their wishes or to defend alone area against Japs and consequently they would accomplish nothing. Northwestern Communists, he said, were not interested in movement. In this connection Embassy informed from another source that alleged Communist interest in or support of the coalition movement in southwest has relation to the Communist groups in southeast China near Hong Kong area rather than Communists in the northwest, although we understand latter are aware of movement.