Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Far East: China, Volume VII

893.00/8–2048: Telegram

The Consul General at Canton (Ludden) to the Secretary of State

Canton, August 20, 1948—4 p. m.
[Received August 21—1:59 a. m.]

168. T. K. Ho, advisor to Governor, informs that several weeks ago Generalissimo sent Chang Chun to Peiping to explore possibility Government–Communist peace negotiations with Li Li-san.⁶³ In meantime, however, Generalissimo received message from Chen Li-fu,⁶⁴ then in U. S., to effect that Republican presidential candidate would be elected and that Chen was convinced Generalissimo could anticipate greatly increased American aid, both military and economic, in early 1949. Upon receipt this information Generalissimo immediately recalled Chang Chun and sent him Szechuan and Yunnan in effort to rally wavering political leaders in southwest.

My informant would not reveal source of foregoing other than to say it was from friend recently returned from Nanking-Shanghai.

Soong and party returned Canton August 17 and he or member his party, probably the latter, seems likely source.

If this information correct, Generalissimo’s pattern of conduct is reminiscent of his reaction to 1944 message from H. H. Kung,⁶⁵ then in US which influenced decision to request recall of Stilwell.⁶⁶

As check on my informant, would appreciate knowing how foregoing ties in with Embassy information.

Sent Nanking 180, repeated Department 7125 [168].

Ludden

63. Member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and adviser to Gen. Lin Piao, Communist Commander in Chief in Manchuria.
64. Vice President of the Chinese Legislative Yuan.
65. Chief Chinese delegate to the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference.
66. Lt Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, Commanding General, U. S. Army Forces, China–Burma–india, and the Generalissimo’s Joint (Allied) Chief of Staff for the China Theater; recalled to the United States on October 21, 1944. See aide-mémoire of September 25, 1944, from Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to President Roosevelt, printed in Military Situation in the Far East: Hearings before the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations, 82d Cong. 1st sess. (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1951), p. 2874.