893.00/7–3048: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 30—11:14 a. m.]
1391. On July 29 Dr. S. A. Trone20 reported to me the substance of two lengthy conversations he had recently with the Soviet Ambassador which may be briefly summarized as follows:
He knew that I wanted peace in China because of my interest in [Page 388] people. For the same reason he wanted peace here. His Government wanted peace in China because they were fundamentally interested in human welfare and also because the continuation of civil strife in China meant the aggravation of the danger of war. Russia needed peace. Russia desired peace in China as an important factor in world peace. He believed that Chinese Communists sought peace because they were realists and the lengthening of the war made the ultimate solution and economic recovery alike more difficult. In their own way they too were primarily interested in the sufferings of the common people. Chiang Kai-shek on the other hand was chiefly concerned to maintain his own power and did not, therefore, want a settlement that reduced his power either by a coalition or by territorial division. American aid tended only to a futile lengthening of the struggle. The approach by either Kmt or CP to the other ought not to be difficult in view of all the available contacts in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Peiping, et cetera. Neither Russian nor American nor the two jointly ought to take any part. It had best be a purely Chinese agreement. But he stood ready to help if he could be of any use. The essential thing for both Kmt and CP was sincerity.
- American industrial adviser to the Central Bank of China.↩