893.001/8–2349: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Clark) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 23—3:18 p. m.]
Cantel 1012. When I called on Acting President Li Tsung-jen to say good-bye and introduce Strong,1 found him closeted with Pai-Chung-hsi. [Page 502] Pai is quite proud of his recent victories in Hunan and stated that forces on mainland were boiling down to those willing to fight. He intimated that, if other armies were as good as his 3 Kwangsi armies, defeating Communists would be easy.
For first time, Li Tsung-jen evidenced considerable ire over frustration he has suffered at hands Gimo. He said reform was needed and he had done his best, but that so long as Gimo held purse strings there was nothing he could do. If he anatagonized man who held purse strings, he would have no money for continued resistance Communists. He was therefore completely stymied and making best of it.
He and Pai feel unless we make the best of a bad bargain and come to aid of existing government, corrupt as it is, Communist domination of all China is inevitable and liberalism will die. They desperately seek liberation from the dead hand of Gimo control through his control of Treasury and they hope as stated Cantel 886, August 6 repeated Shanghai 479, Nanking 584, in some way we can find it possible to help them even if we decide that Gimo and his supporters fight on without further assistance. Obviously, what they fear is that situation may develop on mainland impelling Gimo reemerge as President and leaving Li leader of autonomous regional administration.
They are confident that Pai’s 3 armies plus the guerrilla outfits on the Anhwei–Honan–Hupeh border, for which Pai claims credit, saying he left officers behind for that purpose, can form nucleus of victorious advance over communism provided they can obtain aid from US direct and not through any machinery controlled by Gimo. In this regard, Chu Chang-wei, Gimo [Li] advisor, pleaded with me give him list military supplies now being delivered Taiwan, indicating Li’s efforts obtain such list through Minister National Defense met with failure.
Finally, President and Pai stated they were anxious welcome another General Stilwell2 to train and even actually command their troops; they all would give a warm welcome to American advisors.
Sent Department Cantel 1002, repeated Nanking 653, Shanghai 515, Taipei 141.
- Robert C. Strong, First Secretary of Embassy in China on detail to Chungking, was slated to succeed Mr. Clark as Chargé when latter returned home; for further documentation, see pp. 811 ff.↩
- Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces in China, Burma, India, and Chief of Staff to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, 1942–1944.↩