Office of the Historian

893.002/3–945: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in China (Atcheson)

Washington, March 9, 1945—8 p.m.

413. Please deliver paraphrase of the following personal message from Ambassador Hurley to T. V. Soong:

“Both the President and the Acting Secretary of State were gratified to learn of the Generalissimo’s desire that you visit Washington but they feel that the time between now and the San Francisco Conference is too short to allow for useful consultation and, furthermore, that the visit of one Foreign Minister prior to the Conference might lead to misunderstandings on the part of other interested Foreign Ministers and complicate matters.

The President and the Acting Secretary of State both expressed their high esteem for you and wished me to ask you to explain fully to the Generalissimo the reasoning that causes them to advise a postponement of your visit.

I have not seen Harry Hopkins99 as he has not been in Washington since my arrival.

Please convey my most cordial regards to the Generalissimo.

With best wishes, Patrick J. Hurley”

Grew
  1. Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt.↩