893.00/7–949
The Minister-Counselor of Embassy in China
(Clark) to the Secretary of State
No. 26
Canton, July 9,
1949.
[Received July 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose in
translation the “Joint Anti-Communist and National Salvation Manifesto”
issued at Canton on July 7, 1949, twelfth anniversary of the opening of
the War of Resistance against Japan, by leaders of political parties,
noted educators, and scholars in Nationalist China.
This Manifesto was released to the public at a special press conference
held at the Executive Yuan on the afternoon of July 6. The press
conference featured speeches by two Kuomintang leading lights and by the
chiefs of the Young China and Democratic Socialist Parties discussing
the significance of this statement of unity. The Manifesto was stated to
have been signed personally by a huge number of national leaders,
including the Gimo, Li Tsung-jen, Bishop Paul Yu Pin,79 Hu
Shih,80 etc., etc.
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This translation was supplied by the Information Office of the Executive
Yuan.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure]
Translation of “Joint Anti-Communist and National
Salvation Manifesto” Issued July 7, 1949
As an expression of solidarity top-level officials of the Chinese
Government, leaders of the different political parties, and noted
educators and scholars issue the following joint anti-Communist and
national salvation manifesto on the occasion of the 12th anniversary
of July 7th.
Twelve years ago today, the Chinese Government and people in order to
safeguard the existence of the nation and to preserve the peace of
the world undertook to launch an all-out resistance against the
Japanese aggressors. After a period of bitter struggle the war of
resistance was finally won. Four years have elapsed. During this
period if the communists had truly appreciated the difficult task of
nation-building and the magnitude of the sacrifices the people had
made, and if they had demonstrated their patriotism by not indulging
themselves in armed rebellion and by accepting the Government’s
program of peace and reconstruction, the earnest desire of the
people to live and carry on their pursuits in peace would have been
realised, the policy of the Government for the mobilization of the
nation’s manpower for purposes of reconstruction would have been put
into effect, and China would have become now a unified, peaceful and
prosperous country, contributing her due share to the security of
the world and the welfare of mankind. Unfortunately, the Chinese
communists taking advantage of the opportunity offered by the war of
resistance and the weakened state of the nation undertook to expand
their armed forces and to disturb national peace, thereby bringing
to nought the fruits of eight years of war of resistance, and making
the plight of the country more serious than it was twelve years
ago.
We know too well, under Communist domination the country can have no
independence, the individuals can have no freedom, there can be no
improvement in the livelihood of the people, and Chinese culture and
civilization must face extinction. The danger which confronts the
nation today is in truth the greatest that has ever faced the nation
in its entire history. With the fall of the iron curtain on the
450,000,000 people which will inevitably follow the communist
domination, the stability of the Far East and the peace of the world
will no doubt be disturbed. In view of the gravity of the situation
we must present a united front and dedicate ourselves to the fight
for freedom against the communists to the bitter end. What will our
lives matter and what is the good of party differences should the
nation perish? Our efforts
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must therefore be relentless and unceasing until our territorial
integrity is preserved, until our national independence is
guaranteed, and until our political and economic rights are
maintained.
It is greatly to be hoped that our people will sincerely and fully
cooperate with the Government, pool their resources, revive their
spirit of the war of resistance and in a determined effort to subdue
the present unprecedented crisis and to consummate the task of
national salvation and reconstruction, carry our national front to a
successful end.
