740.00119 PW/10–1645
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Vincent) to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson)
Congressman Mike Mansfield called on me yesterday to express his concern with regard to the dispatch of American Marines to north China. He was handed a copy of your letter to Congressman De [Page 581] Lacy79 on this subject which he read and returned. It was obvious that the explanation in the letter did not satisfy him.
I have known the Congressman for some time and he spoke quite freely. He said that the use of American planes to redeploy large numbers of Chinese National Government troops might be warranted; that the wisdom of using American Marines to garrison north China cities was certainly questionable; and that any prolonged use of Marines in north China would be, in his judgment, most unwise.
He mentioned in this connection the Russian troops in Manchuria and expressed the fear that the Soviet Union, which had informed the Chinese Government of its intention to withdraw its troops from Manchuria by the end of November, might reconsider this decision if American Marines remained in north China. He expressed the hope that the Marines might be withdrawn at the earliest possible moment and indicated that they should be withdrawn not later than the end of November. He said that he did not see why Chinese troops could not be flown into north China by that time to garrison the cities and take over problems of demobilizing and repatriating Japanese troops.
Note: You probably saw or heard of the statement of Chiang Kai-shek in yesterdays paper regarding the Marines in which he said that they would be withdrawn as soon as they can be relieved by Chinese Government forces.
It might be a good idea to suggest that Mr. Forrestal80 or Mr. Patterson81 make a similar statement. If you concur you might wish to suggest it to one or the other of them on the telephone.