893.00/7–1849: Telegram
The Consul at Shanghai (McConaughy) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—3:46 a. m.]
2808. Analysis various eyewitness accounts of victory parade celebrating Double Seventh Sino-Japanese War anniversary and “liberation” Shanghai appears justify following observations:
Official press estimate 1,300,000 marchers (300,000 PLA16 troops and 1,000,000 workers) exaggerated by at least 50%. Claim to be largest parade in history Shanghai believed correct, however.
Owing fear Nationalist air attacks, main parade was held July 6 (instead July 7 as originally announced) at very short notice and in pouring rain. Despite these handicaps, show as whole (military display floats, singing, dramatic sketches, dances, etc.) was well organized and staged, drawing popular response which, while not boisterous, certainly exceeded usual reaction Kmt parades. Several observers noted genuine enthusiasm among poorer elements over their “First People’s Army”. In richer sections such enthusiasm lacking. Parade of workers (many of whom were ordered to march) and crowd’s reaction thereto were relatively apathetic.
While anti-foreignism was manifested in form of slogans displayed and shouted and few floats (associating Uncle Sam with Kmt four families and Japanese), it was given only secondary emphasis. Noteworthy was fact that despite prolonged heavy concentration of paraders in Bund next ConGen and of fact that ConGen was then being picketed by ex-Navy employees,17 there were no hostile demonstrations toward US.
As confirmed by Assistant Military Attaché, troops’ equipment was over half American, including virtually all trucks, all (45) tanks and probally all artillery (105 Howitzers). Official Chieh Fang Jih Pao reported proudly:
“First regiment of corps was entirely equipped with American made Thompson guns. With 20 rocket guns taking lead, parading troops carried with them American-made light machine guns, heavy machine guns, anti-tank guns, trench mortars and stretchers. Second regiment of corps was entirely equipped with Japanese-made arms, while third regiment had American-made rifles, machine guns and artillery pieces.”
Demonstrations as continued on July 7 included parades on smaller scale, dragon boat racing, mass meeting and opening of exhibition pictures, one series of which depicted “participation in world peace convention of Chinese liberationist delegates”.