Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

690B.9321/12–253: Telegram

No. 130
The Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State¹

secret

Taipei, December 2, 1953.

318. Re Department’s 487.² Urged Foreign Minister make statement or have one made in UNO along lines last paragraph reference telegram. He promised attempt say something to help arms situation but is handicapped by absence so far of reply from jungle generals to November 27 instructions sent to them from Ministry National Defense in this connection.

Both Foreign Minister and Chief of Staff disappointed over rather negative response from jungle generals to separate “final appeals” recently sent them over signatures of President Chiang, Premier Chen and Chief of Staff Chou urging everyone come to Formosa, making various promises to those who would come and stating flatly that no help would be sent to those remaining behind. Foreign Minister says Generalissimo angry at their action in setting up “general headquarters of anti-Communist united forces of free peoples in Southeast Asia” and distributing circular described paragraph 6 Bangkok’s 1083 to Department.³

While no detailed information on subject available here it seems probable that greater part of serviceable arms remaining in hands of foreign forces in Burma are those received from outside source in 1951. Whether they are identifiable as such, either from markings or from any remaining packing, is not known to us. It has been suggested however that jungle generals may be tactically justifying their withholding of arms due some such considerations. Committee may have opinion on this score.

Rankin

1. Repeated to Bangkok and Rangoon. The source text does not indicate the time the telegram was sent.
2. Document 128.
3. The paragraph under reference in telegram 1083, cited in footnote 5, Document 128, reported that on Nov. 27 a group of evacuees distributed to those present at the evacuation point mimeographed sheets in English and Burmese, entitled “circular letter to Burmese military officers and soldiers” and signed by “general headquarters of anti-Communist United Forces of Free Peoples in Southeast Asia.” The circular declared that all the Chinese guerrilla troops had withdrawn to Taiwan, and all the troops remaining were “international anti-Communist forces” consisting of various Burmese and other ethnic groups. It urged Burmese military officers and soldiers to join with them to oppose the Communists, maintain democracy and justice, and protect the peace of Southeast Asia. (690B.9321/11–3053)