The Chinese Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State
and has the honor to request that the Secretary be good enough to
transmit to the President of the United States the accompanying message,
which is addressed to the President by the Members of the National
Assembly of the Republic of China. This Assembly, which is composed of
over one thousand and six hundred representatives of the people, was
responsible for the adoption of the Constitution on December 25, 1946,
and the election of the President and Vice President of China. Pursuant
to the Constitution it still exercises certain political powers on
behalf of the whole body of citizens.
[Enclosure]
Message by Members of the Chinese National Assembly to President Truman
It is, indeed, China’s misfortune to have one calamity after another.
While our fight against the Japanese invasion has barely concluded,
the terror of Communist aggression follows. As an important
component part of the International Communists, the Chinese
Communists are, in reality, the vanguards and spearhead of their
invasion.
Outsiders may regard the present warfare between the National
Government army and the Communist army as China’s civil war and wish
to avoid involvement. But the Chinese people consider it as a
campaign against totalitarian rule in defense of freedom and
democracy. If the Government army comes out victorious, freedom,
democracy, equality and well-being for the people will be assured.
Should the Communist forces win, there would be a halt to China’s
long history and culture, and in their places there will be
brutality, despotism, cruelty and destruction.
Backed by the Third International, the Communist army in China may
appear to be powerful. The people have, however, a clear recognition
of their brutal and cruel measures, their betrayal of the motherland
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and their design on
the destruction of the culture of mankind and have developed great
hatred of them. It could, therefore, be foretold that their downfall
will also be rapid.
The Communist armed rebellion is an unavoidable obstacle to our
endeavor in creating a republic of the people, by the people and for
the people and to the attainment of democracy and freedom in
accordance with our Constitution. We are of the conviction, however,
that such obstacle should be vigorously removed with all our latent
moral force and our basic material strength.
If the powers friendly to us like the United States could give the
Chinese Government immediate and sufficient assistance, it would
mean an earlier liberation of our people from this terror and a
speedier attainment of our objective in creating a truly democratic
republic. As for the United States, it would not only lessen its
concern over the potential threat to her national security as a
result of China’s defeat, of the Communist forces and restoration of
order, but also strengthen the friendly relations between China and
the United States and the cause of world peace.
In view of the awakening of the Asiatic peoples and the spread of
Communist domination, the Asiatic Continent is becoming increasingly
a focal point in international politics. A Chinese adage says: “A
little spark may kindle a great fire.” The spark of communism which
the Third International kindled in Asia has not been noted in time
by our American and British friends and is, therefore, developing to
be a great fire. If this fire is not extinguished, it would not only
engulf China and put it behind the iron curtain, but also sweep
Southeast Asia and West Pacific. In that event, it would be too late
even if our American and British friends might wish to sacrifice
huge sums of money and large numbers of lives. The world will be
left to the mercy of the totalitarian Communists.
Knowing well of the danger as we do, we respectfully bring the matter
to your attention.
(Signed) Members of the National Assembly
of the Republic of China
