Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Far East: China, Volume VIII

893.00/4–1049: Telegram

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

Nanking, April 10, 1949—noon.
[Received April 10—4:22 a. m.]

740. Generalissimo has volunteered to two recent visitors information that he will not come back public life to lead renewed resistance if peace talks fail. He is reported to have said that he will support Li in peace or in war, only condition being that Li does not sell out to Communists in peace negotiations. Generalissimo added that he was prepared to resist pressure from his supporters to stage comeback. Our two informants are General Yen Hsi-shan¹ and General Sun Li-jen² who visited Chikow separately but who both brought back reports in above sense. General Sun went on to express his personal conviction that Generalissimo meant what he said.

Sent Department 740, repeated OffEmb Canton 237, AmConGen Shanghai 354, pouched Taipei.

Stuart

1. Governor of Shansi.
2. Deputy Director of Military and Political Affairs for Southeast China.