893.00/10–346: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 4—4 a.m.]
1579. At the press conference in Shanghai, during which General Chou En-Lai made public the text of his letter47 to General Marshall contained in Embassy’s 1572, October 2, 11 a.m.,48 he accused the United States of having encouraged civil war in China by supplying war materiel to the Kuomintang and demanded immediate withdrawal of all American military and naval forces in China. He added that negotiations are now going [on] between Nanking and Washington for purchase in United States of 200 million dollars worth of munitions, payment to be made out of the 750 million credit which China has now in United States.
Chou further stated that General Marshall’s early efforts had succeeded as witness PCC agreements but that, following his return to China, American attitude had changed and, instead of acting as mediators, Americans had sided with Nanking Government. Proof could be found in American turning over of war ships,49 extending Lend Lease agreement50 and surplus property agreement.51 Present Chinese Air Force can operate only because of American bombs, fuel and spare parts. Chinese Navy has received 470 vessels and 57 American equipped Nationalist divisions have been thrown into action against Communists and American forces have moved 400,000 Nationalist troops to North China who are now used in the front line. If American Government were to announce cessation of its assistance to Nanking, Nationalist Government would have to give serious consideration to possibility of ending civil war.
Chou charged that argument often used in favor of keeping American troops in China as barrier to prevent entry of Soviet or other forces is an insult to China since Chinese have no intention of becoming colony to any power. He said this is all the more ridiculous since there are areas in China free of American troops such as the northwest and no foreign troops have taken their place.
Chou added he did not wish to give impression he opposes American assistance or cooperation once Chinese Government has been reformed and army reorganized but now he wished to point out that if United States wishes to mediate, and Marshall–Stuart Mission is [Page 279] to be successful, American forces must be withdrawn immediately and material aid stopped. He concluded by expressing his hope that present situation would not result in a divided China and his conviction that Chinese people are powerful enough to survive present ordeal.