893.00/8–2846
The Chinese Ambassador (Koo) to President Truman
My Dear Mr. President: With reference to my acknowledgment of August 12th10 of your letter of August 10th embodying a message to President Chiang Kai-shek, I have the honor, in accordance with instructions, to transmit to Your Excellency the following reply: [Page 92]
“I wish to thank you cordially for your message of August 10th, expressing your genuine concern for the welfare of my country.
“Since General George Marshall’s arrival in China, he has labored most unsparingly to achieve our common objective, namely, peace and democracy in China. I, too, have done my utmost despite all obstacles to cooperate with him in his endeavour.
“But the desire for peace has to be mutual, and for the Communists, it must mean that they give up their policy to use armed force to seize political power, to overthrow the Government and to install a totalitarian regime such as those which are now spreading over Eastern Europe. The abandonment of such a policy is the minimum requirement for the preservation of peace in our country. After the conclusion of the January Agreement, the Communists attacked and captured Changchun in Manchuria and attacked and captured Tehchow in Shantung. During the cease fire period in June, they attacked Hsuchow in Northern Kiangsu and Tatung and Taiyuan in Shansi. In the last few days, they have opened a wide offensive on the Lunghai Railway with Hsuchow and Kaifeng as their objectives.
“Of course, mistakes have also been made by some subordinates on the Government side, but they are minor in scale compared to the flagrant violations on the part of the Communists. Whenever any mistake occurs on our Government side, we deal sternly with the offender.
“On August 14th in my V–J Day message,11 I announced the firm policy of the Government to broaden speedily the basis of the Government by the inclusion of all parties and non-partisans, amounting to putting into effect the programme of peaceful reconstruction as adopted by the Political Consultation Conference on January 30th. I sincerely hope that the Chinese Communist Party will accept our views. The Government on its part will do the utmost to make peace and democracy a reality in this country in the shortest possible time.
“In implementing that policy which has as its aim our mutually declared objective, I am cooperating with General Marshall with all my power. Our success must depend upon the sincerity of the Communists in responding to our appeals. I am counting on your continued support in the attainment of our objective. Chiang Kai-shek.”
Please accept [etc.]