Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
Colonel Marshall S. Carter to General Marshall
87132. Mister Acheson, Acting Secretary of State, sends the following: [Page 596]
“In a few weeks a year will have passed since the President’s December 1945 statement on China99 and your appointment as his special representative to that country.1 I consider that our activities in China have been on the highest order and in complete accordance with our stated policy. However, I have the feeling that the public has not been adequately informed thereon, and that there is a widespread misunderstanding and lack of definitive public knowledge of our overall activities in China during the past year in implementation of the President’s statement. This feeling is based somewhat on attacks about the presence of the Marines in China, the surplus property deal, the Navy ship program, the proposed $5,000,000 loan, etc. Likewise there have been press criticisms of our failure to give more aid to the Nationalists, our failure to lend more money, and our failure actively to assist in the military defeat of the Communists.
It seems to me that a resume of our major activities during the past year would clarify the matter, making our position clear to the general public and dispelling any doubt as to our accomplishments and intentions. I am having prepared a tentative draft of such a statement reviewing in some detail the developments of the past year, pointing out the reasons why we have done certain things and why we have not done certain things. It seems to me that such a statement at this time would be useful from every standpoint of opinion in this country and also in China.
Prior to taking the matter up with the Secretaries of War and Navy2 and ultimately the President however, and prior to submitting the draft to you for concurrence, I would like your frank views as to the advisability of such a statement, to include the possible effect such an action might have on your mission. If you feel that it might in any way be detrimental to your efforts, I will of course drop the matter, and not bother transmitting the draft to you.”
- December 15, 1945; United States Relations With China, p. 607.↩
- See Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. vii, pp. 745 ff.↩
- Robert P. Patterson and James Forrestal, respectively.↩