893.00/11–845
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Acheson) of a Telephone Conversation With the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)
Secretary Forrestal telephoned me this morning to say that he expected there might be serious trouble at any moment in connection with the Marines in North China. He said the reason he thought so was that according to an unverified report some Marines had gone looking for a party of people from an American merchant ship who had been kidnapped, supposedly by Chinese Reds. He was afraid that if the Marines were shot at, they would shoot back and Secretary Forrestal wanted us to know there was the probability of trouble at any moment.
I communicated this to the Secretary and to Mr. Vincent. Mr. Vincent called to my attention telegram No. 45 from Shanghai, and an unnumbered telegram from Shanghai of November 5, which indicated that this particular incident is out of the danger stage.