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

393.1115/10–2348: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, October 23, 1948—1 p.m.
[Received October 23—5:43 a.m.]

1980. [To Peiping:] We believe time has come when you should issue formal evacuation warning US citizens your district (Embtel 184, October 18 to Peiping, repeated Tientsin 170⁹²). In public notice you should use text recorded in Deptel 1469 to Nanking, repeated Peiping 183, Tientsin 195.⁹³ However, in private conversations, you may point out that anyone failing to leave while normal transportation facilities are available may find themselves under Communist jurisdiction as no emergency transportation facilities can be assured at any later date.

For purposes of coordination, Department’s warning should be made public your district Tuesday, October 26, noon, Peiping standard time.

Re Embassy’s secret circular instruction 30⁹⁴ I feel time has also come when you should give serious consideration to evacuation consular and other official dependents. Embassy will issue travel orders upon request for any dependents desiring to take present advantage of this opportunity to move to areas of greater safety in China or to return to the US.

Repeated Tsingtao for information only of Consulate General and ComNavWesPac, repeated Shanghai for Consulate General and Connors.⁹⁵

Sent Peiping 189, Tientsin 173; repeated Department, Tsingtao 161, Shanghai 975.

Stuart

92. Sent to the Department as telegram No. 1926, p. 852.
93. October 19, 6 p.m., p. 853.
94. September 15, p. 843.
95. W. Bradley Connors, Consul and Acting Public Affairs Officer at Shanghai.