893.00/12–148: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin ( Smyth ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 2—10:32 p. m.]
397. Since situation reported last paragraph mytel 560 to Nanking,81 local Chinese bitterness toward National Government has greatly increased. Robberies and lootings of Chinese homes and shops [Page 625] Tientsin in past 2 weeks by disorganized, defeated Nationalist soldiers from Manchuria (20,000 now here) have added to bitterness against a regime so impotent as to allow this. Recently accelerated rise in food prices has accelerated local feeling. Shelling of city has angered local Chinese who blame Gimo. Widespread corruption and inefficiency of Nationalist civil and military officials continues to broaden and accelerate this feeling. There has been marked intensification of North–South antagonism, populace generally indicating desire to be rid of Nationalist Government officials, looked on as southern carpetbaggers.
Fu Tso-yi82 is still usually excepted in criticism, but feeling is strong that his, too, is a lost cause in view hordes of Communist troops now released from Manchuria and elsewhere.
Noteworthy are increasing spontaneous expressions by Chinese during last few days of resentment against American backing of regime which vast majority local Chinese believe is, and deserves to be, doomed; they feel that it is too late for American military aid to be effective and that such aid will merely prolong the agony. Average Tientsin Chinese still does not like Chinese communism but is ready to try Communist regime as only available alternative to Gimo’s government; those few Chinese who consider international aspects of communism cling to hope that Communist regime may prove to be more Chinese than Communist. Many Chinese here believe there is possibility its becoming increasingly oriented toward America if and when it can, as they consider USSR cannot fill China’s needs.
Sent Department 397, repeated Nanking 644, Peiping.