893.00/8–649: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Jones) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 7—1:57 a. m.]
1731. Following is translation of propaganda leaflet dropped by CAF during Nanking air raid August 1. This is first example we have seen of Nationalist attempt distribute effective propaganda.
“Fellow countrymen in bandit-occupied areas: Since arrival of Communist bandits, you have been living an incarcerated, miserable life. When we think of this, we are extremely perturbed and pained. Fellow countrymen, you have clearly seen true face of Communist bandits. Their hearts are more cruel than those of beasts. All they say is false, deceiving. They speak of democracy day and night, but actually there is not slightest degree of democracy in occupied areas. They praise ‘the people’ as they do gods, but in truth they treat them as beasts of burden. They send all able-bodied youths to the front to be used as cannon fodder, yet they say it is the youths themselves who want to ‘join the army’. They force people to surrender their food, yet they claim it is the people themselves who are willing to ‘contribute’ their food stuffs. Similar deceitful practices are too numerous to list here. In any event you have seen enough already.
“Fellow countrymen, the Communist bandits do not love their country, much less the people. They are fighting for the Lao Mao Tze (ed. “old hairy ones”, meaning USSR). They wish to give away our beloved country to foreigners, let our children of future generations serve as slaves of foreigners. How can we Chinese labor as beasts for those foreign devils? We must exterminate Communist bandits, good-for-nothing traitors for sake of independence of our nation, existence of our people, our own freedom, welfare of our future generations.
“Through desperation resulting from Communist oppression, fellow countrymen in Hupeh, Honan, northern Anhwei have already started fighting Communist bandits with knives, guns, etc., which has given them many headaches. Peiping workers, bitter against cheating [Page 476] of Communist bandits, burned over 50 tramcars in one night, set fire to laboratory of the Shihchungshan mines. Every patriotic fellow countryman should follow their example. To exterminate Communist bandits is to save nation and yourselves. If you do not exterminate them, they will exterminate you. If you cannot fight them now, do not cooperate with them. Never assist Communist bandits or collaborate with them in their traitorous intrigue. We will fight back soon, final victory will be ours. Sooner or later Communist bandits will fail, completely wiped out by us. Begin your struggle against them immediately. Destroy their factories, defense works; annihilate their troops; kill their village officers, special service men; blow up their ships, vehicles, bridges. They will collapse when our forces strike back. Arise, fellow countrymen in bandit-held areas. Fight on courageously for our fatherland and for yourselves. (Signed) Army, Navy, Air Force Revolutionary Comrades Society.[”]
Sent Department, repeated OffEmb Canton 725, Shanghai 951.