Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East: China, Volume IX

893.00/1–446: Telegram

The Secretary of State to General Marshall

Washington, January 4, 1946—noon.

16. Personal for General Marshall. I did not see message you referred to.³⁰ The Marshal insists that Soviets remain in Manchuria only at request of Chinese National Government. In response to my direct question as to his intention with reference to supporting National Government, he stated that by his treaty with China, signed last August, he pledged his support to the National Government and he intends to comply with that obligation. He denied aiding Communists in Manchuria and said they had no military strength there and that the National Government had exaggerated the situation.

My conclusion is, as stated in your letter, that relations are of same pattern as our relations in Europe.

He was suspicious of our intentions in North China, suspecting we intend to remain there. He proposed that we leave North China and they leave Manchuria January 15. I explained our difficulties to his satisfaction and later he agreed to join in the declaration as to support of the National Government in China,³¹ which I wanted in the hope it might help you.

The only statement he made indicating interest in the Communist Party in China was his request for the language that in the reorganized government there should be broad representation of all political parties. This was substantially what we had asked in the Balkans and substantially what the President suggested in his statement of policy.³² Therefore we agreed.

My estimate is that at this time he intends living up to his treaty with China and will not intentionally do anything to destroy our efforts for unified China.

Byrnes

30. Telegram No. 18, December 26, 1945, from General Marshall, ibid., p. 813.
31. The “Moscow Declaration”: for section IV on China in the communiqué on the Moscow Conference of three Foreign Ministers, see Department of State Bulletin. December 30, 1945. p. 1030.
32. For published statement by President Truman of December 15, 1945, see Department of State, United States Relations With China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949), p. 607.