893.00/9–847
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 22.]
Sir: I have the honor to report briefly on impressions gathered in Peiping during a visit there primarily for long delayed dental work.
The statement issued by General Wedemeyer upon his departure from China caused the same general reactions as elsewhere: among the officials a sense of disappointment and resentment, while Young China was immensely pleased. Thus the happy anticipations within the Government on receiving the news of his Mission and the anxieties of liberals and anti-Government groups generally were reversed by the severe criticisms of his parting message. This has served to manifest more clearly the wide-spread and deepening dissatisfaction among intellectuals and non-party elements of all classes with the Kmt.
The prevailing attitude of students is, however, quite revealing, especially when they are thought of as a rough register of the trend in public opinion. In both Tsing Hua and Yenching Universities the anti-Communist element is reported as certainly 90% and more probably 95%, and the anti-Kmt-Government proportion as fully 90%. In the University of Peiping, Government sympathizers claim that the percentage opposed to the present administration is much lower. My guess would be that these figures are a fair index of student thinking generally over the country. The obvious conclusion would seem to be that the people—even the more radical and immature—are instinctively against Communism and could easily be won to support a truly reformed National Government. Among the students Chiang Kai-shek, as the symbol of Kmt rule, has lost greatly in esteem. To most of them he is frankly finished.
Another impression is the extent to which Soviet inspired literature is being read by students and the unthinking way with which they accept and quote assertions, about the United States for instance, which are palpably untrue. If we are to undertake a program of [Page 281] active assistance to China I earnestly hope that it will be accompanied by provision for carefully planned publicity.
Conditions in Communist controlled territory are described to me as follows. The more intelligent country people live not so much in actual discontent or hardship as in fear of what might happen to them at any time. The others accept relative economic security and the regulations imposed on them rather passively. The children are growing up with more or less enthusiasm for the existing regime and are taught to believe all that is evil of the National Government and America. The situation is still somewhat plastic but will become fixed with time. There is general agreement that better local administration with complete assurance that there would be no danger of the certain reprisals if the Communists came back would result in a welcome for the National Government. Economic distress is widely prevalent but there is food for everyone.
There is great satisfaction in North China over the appointment of General Chen Cheng to supreme authority in Manchuria and the dismissal of Hsiung Shih-hui. The purging of army officers and other reforms, as reported in the local press, have made a fine impression.
Marshal Li Tsung-jen63 is gaining in public confidence. There seems no reason to credit rumors of his disaffection toward the National Government. Governor Sung Lien-chung complains—as usual—of having insufficient troops under his command to cope with the Communists in Hopei. The Mayor is working diligently to arouse interest in the coming elections and has drafted college professors and others to visit the different precincts of the city and give lectures on the subject. But he is discouraged by the small numbers registering for casting ballots. It is not clear how much of this apathy is due to fear and how much to indifference or ignorance.
Respectfully yours,
- Director of Generalissimo Chiang’s Headquarters at Peiping.↩