845C.00/1–2247: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State
confidential
London, January
22, 1947—6 p.m.
465. U Saw12 presented Packer’s letters of introduction at Embassy London January 21 and talked very freely.
- 2.
- U Saw feels strongly that Governor of Burma13 erred in giving leadership to Aung San instead of to himself whose party is really majority party eclipsed by terrorist tactics of AFPFL Fascists who are “really Communists at heart”. This view plus his long internment by British Government (he believes his movements are closely watched in London) appear to color all his thinking.
- 3.
- U Saw is not convinced that anything will come of the London talks but he admits that while he suspects British good faith no evidence has come to his attention in course of talks which would justify these suspicions.
- 4.
- U Saw thinks that proof of British good faith will be the manner in which they handle tribal areas. He is convinced that tribal areas are willing to come in with Burma proper on satisfactory guarantees which his own party is perfectly willing to give.
- 5.
- U Saw described Communist strength in Burma as “small” and said that Communists were divided between those in touch with Moscow via China and those working with Indian Communists.14
- 6.
- U Saw expressed deepest distrust of Aung San, who he said is wearing to meetings “the uniform of a Japanese officer from which the Order of the Rising Sun has been removed so recently that the marks of it can still be seen”.
- 7.
- Questioned re strength of Pan-Asianism in Burma, U Saw said that he did not think that it had much hold largely because the Burmese people hate Japanese so thoroughly and consider it to be a made-in-Japan idea. U Saw thought that China with help of U.S. would eventually assume leadership of Asia.
- 8.
- U Saw said that as Minister of Education he was anxious to appoint an education officer in U.S. to look after Burmese Government students, the number of which he hopes to increase.
- 9.
- U Saw is consulting London eye specialist re removal of two remaining particles of glass from right eye and will remain here for treatment after Burma delegation departs. He is also considering visit to American eye specialist.
Gallman