Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎110v] (220/978)

18
Korea left Chinese Government officials
and politicians dazed and bewildered. Not
that the General told them anything of
which they were not already well aware.
What they have found so hard to stomach
is the breach of oriental etiquette and the
“loss of face’’ entailed in the public
utterance of blunt and unpalatable home-
truths. Dr. Sun Fo alone was able to turn
the General’s statement to Government
account in a speech at Canton which may
have been directed at wavering elements in
the south. Following a somewhat pointed
reminder of General Wedemeyer’s asser
tion that one of the first essentials lay in
the removal of corrupt officials he added
that, although the General’s contention
that “communist ideology’’ could not be
eradicated by force of arms was also indis
putable, that did not apply to banditry.
General Chiang Kai-shek’s first reaction
is reported to have been of concern lest
General Wedemeyer’s statement should
spell United States abandonment of China,
and in consequence he has been careful in
public to stress his determination to follow
his American visitor’s advice to set his
house in order—secret reports tell of an
attitude not quite so meek. Nevertheless,
on the 3rd September, the Government
spokesman declared that during the next
few months economic and political reforms
would provide the main topic of news from
China; and he entered a plea to the world
to suspend judgment while these reforms
were in progress. A number of leading
Chinese businessmen have addressed a joint
letter to President Truman and Mr. Mar
shall, in which they express appreciation
of the thought that prompted the despatch
of the Wedemeyer Mission, but voice the
hope that the United States may neverthe
less continue to “ maintain its friendly and
helpful attitude toward China.”
The Kuomintang reactionary leader,
Chen Li-fu, on the other hand has
countered General Wedemeyer’s criticisms
in terms almost as blunt as those of the
General himself. He is quoted as having
declared that “ if the United States does
not want to aid China, it might at least
have the good manners to refrain from
public utterances in criticism of the
Chinese Government ' ’; considering the
millions of dollars that have been spent in
exposing Communism in America and in
excluding Communists and fellow-travel
lers from the Government services, it
seemed somewhat out of place for a United
States spokesman to place so much
emphasis on the fact that the United States
is unwilling to “ give up attempts to bring
about an inclusion of Communists in the
Chinese Government.” Chen Li-fu also
deprecated exaggerated reports of corrup
tion among Government officials.
Finally the Premier, General Chang
Chun, took an early opportunity to
announce that there would be no chang^i
in Chinese foreign or domestic policy
the result of the visit of General Wede
meyer, who, he declared, had gained an
entirely false impression of China by pay
ing more attention to the tales of private
individuals than to information supplied
by Government officials.
Meanwhile General Chiang Kai-shek has
been devoting much attention to reorgan
ising his military commands and to making
an eleventh-hour effort to still the growing
signs of discontent in Manchuria, where a
concentrated Communist attack, with
Ssupingkai as the probable objective, is
expected to open shortly.
General Chen Cheng, Chief of Staff, has
been appointed Director of the Generalis
simo’s Manchurian Headquarters in suc
cession to General Hsiung Shih-hui, who
so far has not been given a new appoint
ment. On arrival in Manchuria, General
Chen Cheng is reported to have gained
considerable local approval by losing no
time in setting to work on administrative
and military changes, which involved the
execution of a number of senior officers !
General Sun Li-jen has been transferred
from Manchuria to Formosa, where he is
to supervise the training of recruits
intended to form the nucleus of a new
Chinese army of nine divisions. There are
many and persistent rumours that this
specially trained force is to be equipped
from the United States.
Although so far no announcement has
been made concerning the appointment of
a new Chief of Staff, it is understood that
the Generalissimo has given up his original
intention to reappoint General Ho Ying-
chin. It is thought that both the present
Minister for Defence, General Pai Chung-
hsi, and General Chang Chih-chung are
among the names under consideration for
the post. So far as is known, however,
General Chang Chih-chung is unlikely to
accept the appointment as he does not want
to leave Sinkiang. In the interval General
Cheng Kai-ming is said to have captured
the Generalissimo’s confidence and to be
advising him on important political and
military matters. It will be remembered
that General Cheng, who held important
posts during the war and is a C.B.E., rose
from the ranks in the secret service corps
built up by the late General Tai Li.