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  4. Document 310

893.00/8–2945: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman ) to the Secretary of State

Moscow , August 29, 1945—4 p.m.
[Received August 30—12:40 p.m.]

3106. Important article (to Department 3106; repeated Chungking as 118–A) in today’s Red Star summarized in my immediately preceding14 makes four significant points: [Page 455]

1.
China cannot continue to be a backward, semifeudal state.
2.
Efforts to maintain reaction will provoke “democratic” resistance.
3.
USSR and world democratic forces support democratic development of China.
4.
Agents of Japanese imperialism are now seeking to disrupt democratic unity.

While this article is more restrained in its criticism of Chinese reactionary forces than similar comment published before the Sino-Soviet treaty, it carries the first statement in our memory of categorical Soviet support of Chinese “democratic” forces. The hint that agents of Japanese imperialism seek to disrupt democratic unity in China hints at the technique employed in Europe of identifying as Fascist every opponent of the Popular Front movement.

Harriman
  1. Telegram No. 3105, August 29, not printed.↩