125.633/5–1148: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 11—11:53 a. m.]
849. ReDeptel 697, May 7, 7 p. m., Embassy of course assuming that any action concerning evacuation from area threatened by Communist occupation would be taken in consultation with principal officers of areas concerned and only after securing their recommendations. Embassy is still, however, of the opinion that certain factors make it desirable that the final decision in case of necessity should rest with the Ambassador. To cite the example of Mukden, there are certain factors involved in that situation which are known to the Embassy but are not known to the Consulate General which he might not be in any position to appreciate or evaluate since they are concerned with the over-all situation.
Secondly, evacuation of one area might have to be tied in with evacuation from another area and the Embassy in [is] charged with the responsibility of coordination of these plans. No Consulate could be expected to have a realistic understanding of the factors involved in these over-all plans.
Thirdly, there is the question of personal considerations which might influence the judgment of the man on the spot, whereas the man in the Embassy would be in the position to look at the matter more dispassionately. In this connection, the Embassy would cite the unfortunate incident in Nanking in 192718 when the wife of one officer refused to go which led other wives to take similar action with disastrous results.
In view of the above factors, Embassy again requests the Ambassador be given authority by the Department to order such evacuation as, in his discretion, he may deem desirable or necessary in the best interest of the US.
- For accounts of attacks on foreigners at Nanking, see Foreign Relations, 1927, vol. ii, pp. 146 ff.↩