Office of the Historian

125.953/11–549: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consul at Tsingtao (Hawthorne)24

Washington, November 18, 1949—7 p. m.

340. Dept booking passage on Pacific Transport as requested urtel 604 Nov 5. Ship scheduled arrive Tsingtao between Dec 6 and 8, thence proceeding Japan. Date subj change in event appears necessary or desirable. As ship will carry with army approval some US Army cargo, and otherwise to assure safe passage, Dept requests Strong make appropriate representations FonOff for safe conduct Tsingtao. Strong shld inform FonOff sole reason for diversion Tsingtao is to evacuate AmConsul staff and personal effects, and there will be no cargo offloaded or onloaded. Suggest Tsingtao inform Commie auth expected arrival ship. Keep Dept informed devel re ur exit permits. If permits unrecd by time Pacific Transport departs Taiwan, doubt whether practicable effect diversion.

Acheson
  1. Repeated to the Charge in China (Strong) as telCan No. 764 and to the Consul General at Hong Kong as No. 1389.↩