893.00/8–1246: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Durbrow) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 12—11:50 a.m.]
3168. Pravda’s international review August 12, commenting on reported raid on Yenan by 6 P–47’s and 1 B–24 carrying American-made bombs, declares that this event is eloquent proof that civil war is blazing in China provoked by reactionary elements of Kuomintang. Review refers further to report that Central Govt has built up 6 armies for offensive toward north. In light of these provocational actions of Kuomintang authorities, “mediating activity” of General Marshall and Ambassador Stuart who are supposedly engaged in reconciling Kuomintang with CP,11 “looks very strange.”
American mediators are acting on principle: left hand does not know what right hand is doing, for they are “reconciling” with left hand and arming Chiang Kai-shek’s troops assiduously with right. Bombing of Yenan has evoked deep indignation of Chinese public which has intensified its demands for speediest withdrawal of US troops from China.
These demands clearly expressed and persuasively argued in speech by Sun Yat-sen’s widow12 have found very “peculiar” response in Washington in form of continually repeated categorical denial of reports predicting withdrawal of US troops from China.
Repeated to Nanking as 99.