893.00/5–445: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 4—12:20 p.m.]
722. Following is full transcript of my remarks made at press conference on April 28:
“Gentlemen, I am happy to be back in China and to be with you this morning. I really have very little news for you. I gave an [Page 375] interview in Washington which I understand you have seen.38 I have endeavored to convince everyone concerned that we should loosen up a little on getting news out of China. In my opinion, if the news of China could flow more freely and more completely to the public it would be beneficial to China.
“The second matter I want to talk about is in regard to the armed parties in China. The Chinese Communist Party, for which I have a very deep respect and whose motives I believe are good, sent a wire to me, asking that that party be represented at the San Francisco Conference.39 I responded40 that, in my opinion, the San Francisco Conference was a conference of nations, not of political parties, and I suggested that if the Chinese Communist Party desired representative at San Francisco, it should apply to the National Government of the Republic of China, which is a member of the United Nations and is recognized as the government of China by all of the United Nations. I suggested that it would be a good thing if the Chinese Communist Party could be given membership on the Chinese delegation at San Francisco. This was done. The Chinese Government did offer appointment to a member of the Chinese Communist Party; the appointment was accepted and a Communist is sitting on the delegation of China at San Francisco at this time. I think that this is a good sign. We are all happy because of the action taken by the Chinese National Government and the acceptance of that action by the Chinese Communist Party.
“The next matter is a matter that a representative of another nation should not be too free to discuss. It is clearly a matter for the Chinese people and the Chinese Government itself—that is, in regard to unification of the military forces of China.
“On the question of unification of the military forces of China that is a matter, I have said, for the Chinese Government and the Chinese people. We are in favor of unification of all the anti-Japanese military forces in China. We believe, however, that the method of unification and the approach to the subject are matters for the Chinese themselves. We have insisted that in these internal matters the Chinese must furnish their own leadership, make their own decisions and be responsible for their own policies. We do, however, endorse all of the efforts for unification of the military forces and we do endorse the inspirations [aspirations?] of the Chinese people to establish for themselves a united, free, democratic China.
“General Wedemeyer will be here in a moment and I understand that questions have been raised concerning differences of opinion between General Wedemeyer and myself on policy. No such differences exist. To prevent misunderstanding, I have asked General Wedemeyer to attend this conference.”
[Q.] “Did you see Mr. Molotov in Moscow?”
A. “Yes. I also saw Marshal Stalin in Moscow.41 I may also say that I saw Mr. Eden and Mr. Churchill in London. I also saw Secretary [Page 376] Stettinius and President Roosevelt in Washington. I discussed the Chinese situation and Chinese policies with all of these gentlemen and, I might say, for the present that all of these nations are in agreement on an overall Chinese policy and that they all are anxious for China to work out her own destiny in her own way. The feeling toward China among all of the United Nations is more friendly.”
[Q.] “Will you tell us briefly, Mr. Ambassador, what you have been doing in the past week since you returned to Chungking?”
A. “I am afraid it would be very uninteresting. I have not done very much. I had a multitude of subjects that I have been working on before my departure and I have been working on them.” (General Wedemeyer arrived.)
General Hurley: Addressed General Wedemeyer. “I have just been asked the question as to what I have been doing since my return to Chungking and I have said that I have not been doing anything interesting. A recitation of my daily routine would not be very interesting. I had a multiude of subjects that were hangovers, that I had been working on before I left, and they have had to have my attention. I have seen General Wedemeyer frequently during the period. I have seen the Generalissimo once.”
Q. “In view of your peculiar or, should I say, unquote [unique?] record in the past in China, may we ask if you are going to take up the Communist question again?”
A. “It might be better for you not to indulge in assumptions. I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet. I do not read the future. You will have to do what I have to do. You will have to wait for the future.
“Any further questions: I will repeat for the benefit of General Wedemeyer and the record the three points I have discussed. First, I discussed the advisability of permitting more news to emanate from China, so long as it does not interfere with the conduct of the war or give aid to the enemy. Second, I then discussed briefly the position we had taken in regard to the armed parties in China. I said that the Communist Party wired me asking that I arrange for that party to have representation at the San Francisco Conference. I responded to that telegram by saying that, in my opinion, the San Francisco Conference is a conference of nations, not of political parties, our Government concurred in that statement of principle. At the same time I suggested that it would be desirable and, in my opinion, proper for the Communist Party to apply to the National Government of the Republic of China for representation on its delegation to San Francisco. The Chinese National Government did offer an appointment on the delegation to a Communist. The Communist accepted and is now one of the delegates [of] the Chinese Government in San Francisco. I told the gentlemen that I thought that was a step in the right direction and, in my opinion, showed a greater degree of concerted action than anything that had taken place between the Communist Party and the National Government of China. I stated that it is not only our desire, but the desire of every one of the United Nations, to see a unification of all the anti-Japanese military forces in China, united for the purpose of driving the invader from China. Therefore we approve and will assist every reasonable effort that is made toward the unification of the military forces. Finally all the United Nations, of which China is one, endorse China’s aspirations for a free, united, [Page 377] democratic China. I have made this statement before and I have repeated it and the policies toward China in Washington, London and Moscow and found all in agreement on the Chinese policy.”
Q. “You say that you discussed the Chinese situation and the policies toward China in Washington, London and Moscow and found all in agreement on the Chinese policy. Could you tell us something about your discussions?”
A. “I have stated the policy and the fact that the United Nations are in agreement on that policy. I have stated, first, greater flow of news; second, approval of unification of armies; third, endorsement of China’s aspirations for a free, united, democratic China, I have stated that as the policy. Tell me what you want to know. Ask me a specific question and I will try to answer it. But I have stated the policy and that we are in agreement on it. I do not know anything else I can add. If you ask me a specific question on any phase of it, I will try to answer it, however.”
Q. “May I ask what the Russian attitude is toward the Chinese Communist situation?”
A. “Have you gentlemen a copy of the interview I gave in Washington? That stated what I understand to be the Russian attitude, and I might say that it has been concurred in by Mr. Molotov. However, the Russian Ambassador42 arrived here yesterday, and I think that in deference to my colleague, I should let him state the Russian attitude toward the Chinese Communists. Don’t you think that is fair?
“Any other question? I want to answer any questions you have. I sincerely desire to work ourselves into a position where all the facts concerning China may be given to the world. I believe in freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of radio, with one very important exception: that is, that nothing should be permitted to be said that would be of assistance to our enemy and any political matters that might conflict with or have a disastrous effect on the military operations. After all we are at war and we are in a war theater and our first and primary responsibility is to the theater commander in this area. We will not take any action at any time that will interfere in any way with military operations against the enemy.”
Q. “Have you received from the Chinese any indication of their attitude on the freedom of the flow of news from China?”
A. “I had been talking on this subject before I left here. And, again, that is like talk on the Russian attitude. The Chinese can answer that better than I can. The Chinese have a Ministry of Information, and I think I should permit them to make their own statement about China’s attitude on more liberal censorship. I had discussed this problem on numerous occasions before I left and I might say that I talked to both Dr. Soong and Dr. Wang Shih-chieh. I had indications of their desire to liberalize the censorship as far as possible in view of the military situation which made it essential that certain information not be given to the enemy.”
Q. “Does that agreement on China which you discussed in the capitals embrace the future of Manchuria?”
A. “I would not make any statements on a subject of that kind at this meeting.
[Page 378]“Anything else, gentlemen? Now, I would like to ask again, are there any Chinese present who have not understood? If you have not understood all that has been said, that notes will be transcribed and will be made available to you. We want everyone to understand everything that has been said.
“Wish to say that I am very grateful to all of you gentlemen for having come here this morning. I do not know how much of this interview will pass the censorship. It will have to go through both Chinese and military censorship, to which I submit completely, but I want to get myself on a more understanding basis with the press. I want you to know what we are doing and to understand our motives.
“One thing more: a rumor has got to me which I think I should discuss frankly. Some reporters have come to me both here and in Washington regarding rumors that General Wedemeyer and I were separated on certain things with respect to policy in China. General Wedemeyer and I have had complete discussion and arguments concerning our respective missions here, but if there were ever two men who see eye to eye, we do, and we have been in complete accord from the very beginning and we still are in agreement.
“Any further questions? Thank you, gentlemen.”
General Wedemeyer, who also attended conference, then commented to reporters, as follows:
“There is just one point. One [or?] two of you have dropped in to see me since my return from the States and there apparently is a rumor going around that a change has been made in the military plans as a result of my trip, and I want to tell you frankly that it is not so. My plan is completed. It [is] very simple and visualizes concentration of American and Chinese efforts so that we can deal offensively against the enemy. I have no control over enemy action or acts of God on my military mission. My plan is simple. Visualizes concentration of effort. Back home every one was enthusiastic and most cooperative concerning that plan and they are supporting it to the hilt. The President, the American Chiefs of Staff and the heads of all the agencies with whom I had contact assured me that everything will be done to implement that plan. It has been presented to the Generalissimo and Minister of War and they [are] all in full agreement and are cooperating, as far as I can observe, 100 percent. There has been no change in plan at all. I am sorry that such a rumor got around. That rumor has no basis in fact at all.”
Sent to Department. Repeated to London and Moscow.
- See transcript of press and radio news conference by Ambassador Hurley on April 2, p. 317.↩
- See telegram No. 409, March 12, 8 a.m., from the Chargé in China, p. 268.↩
- See telegram No. 446, March 14, 8 p.m., to the Chargé in China, p. 279.↩
- See telegram No. 1212, April 17, 7 p.m., from the Chargé in the Soviet Union, p. 338.↩
- A. A. Petrov.↩