Office of the Historian

893.50 Recovery/2–1949: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, February 19, 1949—5 p. m.
[Received February 20—2:04 a. m.]

427. Yen Hsi-shan55 has been in Shanghai and Nanking for past few days to obtain assistance from Nationalist Government and ECA for his beleaguered city of Taiyuan. He has suggested to Chinese Navy that it transport one million gallons aviation gasoline Tsingtao in order that his airlift from that port may be continued. He has also approached ECA for direct assistance, including an air lift and food supplies Taiyuan. He called on me February 17 to press his appeal to ECA for food. I felt unable to give him any encouragement, believing this operation one for Chinese Government and not ECA.

Sent Department; repeated Shanghai 199, AmEmb Canton 88.

Stuart
  1. Taiyuan Pacification Commissioner and Governor of Shansi.↩