811.3393/5–1849: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 18—12:26 p. m.]
1061. I had hoped it would not be necessary to make public announcement at time withdrawal few remaining US naval units from Tsingtao. Most US Navy personnel has been afloat for some months. Badger and larger units his fleet command have been in Shanghai, Yangtze mouth, Taiwan, et cetera, during recent weeks so that detachment Tsingtao while gradual is virtually fact. Public announcement of withdrawal would call attention to US Navy’s presence there and coming at this particular time of Nationalist military debacle would be subject to misinterpretation. Present political considerations favor avoiding press release in my opinion. While no effort should be made, of course, to conceal withdrawal remaining naval units from Tsingtao waters, I feel that publicity, which official release would stimulate, should be minimized.
Re Shanghai’s 1676, May 17, to Department, repeated Nanking 929, Canton 471, I have some doubts, should there nevertheless be press release on Tsingtao, desirability making reference to Dairen and [Page 1207] Port Arthur. De jure position of USSR in Port Arthur is unassailable at least during life of Sino-Soviet treaty.21 At same time our use of anchorage and port facilities Tsingtao cannot be compared in any way with Soviet domination of every phase of life and activity in Port Arthur and Dairen and I should dislike seeing them associated even by implication with our friendly, mutually beneficial position Tsingtao over past few years.
Sent Department, repeated Canton 444, Shanghai 604.
- Signed at Moscow, August 14, 1945, United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 10, p. 300.↩