Office of the Historian

893.00/7–2949: Telegram

The Consul General at Hankow (Callanan) to the Secretary of State

Hankow, July 29, 1949—10 a. m.
[Received July 31—1:52 p. m.]

235. Recent developments (mytel 197 to Department June 29):

Status foreigners: No travel regulations issued, no permits granted though some requests 2 months old. Large sign placed wall British Consulate compound translates “Chinese and Japanese people unite, oppose long American occupation Japan”. British Consul General requested authorities remove sign, letter returned without comment and sign remains. Communist teams of 4 or 5 usually including 1 or 2 uniformed women going rounds foreign firms questioning foreigners re work, economic conditions, Chinese friends, hobbies, etc. Consulate not approached so far.

Attitude to US: New China News Agency version Olive87 case published here Mid Shanghai Liberal Daily editorial July 10 was copied. No other mention except editorial July 14 in Ta Kang Pao on general subject foreign residents problems, referring also to [Shanghai Evening] Post and Mercury, theme equal treatment all.

Ta Kang Pao July 24 published so-called refutation dated Peiping July 22 of Assistant Secretary Allen’s USIS statement.88

USIS suspension regretted verbally by some regular users. Since closure papers, books, magazines, taken by military guards from persons entering and memo protesting and asking that borrowed items be permitted return library was returned without comment. Guards question employees [and] other Chinese entering building.

General: Large troop movements southward through here recent weeks mostly nocturnal, latterly rumored including troops Fu Tso-yi.89 Feeling of people in general seems rude awakening those who welcomed change and justification those opposed. Discontent at failure rosy Communist picture materialize rapidly said so keen even return disdained Nationalists be welcome.

Sent Department 235, repeated Nanking 185, OffEmb Canton 115.

Callanan
  1. William M. Olive, Vice Consul at Shanghai; for documentation on his case, see pp. 1155 ff.↩
  2. For statement by Assistant Secretary of State George V. Allen, see Department of State Bulletin, August 1, 1949, p. 152.↩
  3. Former Chinese Commander in North China who remained in Peiping after Chinese Communist occupation.↩