Office of the Historian

893.00/12–2945: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to General Marshall

Washington, December 29, 1945—9 p.m.

2087. Secretary Byrnes returned today and left shortly after his arrival to report to the President upon his yacht. Before going, he asked me to send you his warmest greetings and tell you that he had received your message.

The conversations in Moscow, as they bore upon your mission, are well summarized in the communiqué sent you by Radio Bulletin, part IV, dealing with China,64 and nothing of significance has been omitted.

It may be helpful to you to know that the Chinese Ambassador in Washington inquired whether the last sentence of section IV65 should [Page 825] be construed in any way as modifying Mr. Molotoff’s66 statement that withdrawal of Soviet forces had been postponed until February first. The reply was that nothing in the communiqué nor in the discussions was intended in any way to modify the date of February first. Of course, this Government would not interpose objection to any agreement reached between the Chinese and Soviet Governments if they should mutually desire a later date.

The Secretary also asked me to say that in a conversation which he had with Generalissimo Stalin the Generalissimo spoke of you in terms of the highest admiration and respect and said that he would be strongly predisposed to agree with any recommendations regarding the Chinese situation which had your approval.

The Secretary has not yet seen your message Gold 7 of December 29,67 but I am sure he will be much heartened by it and will wish you every success in your present meetings.

Acheson
  1. For text of communiqué, dated December 27, see Department of State Bulletin, December 30, 1945, pp. 1027, 1030.↩
  2. Last sentence was as follows: “The two Foreign Secretaries were in complete accord as to the desirability of withdrawal of Soviet and American forces from China at the earliest practicable moment consistent with the discharge of their obligations and responsibilities”; Department of State Bulletin, December 30, 1945, p. 1031.↩
  3. Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs↩
  4. Infra. ↩