794A.00/7–650: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
86. Deptel 17, July 3.1 As late as June 25 Chinese press in Peiping had been making almost daily appeals to people of Formosa to arise against their “oppressors” as the eleventh hour leading to their liberation was approaching. It had been noted that Chu Teh had been absent from Peiping and it was generally assumed he had left for the south to engage in planning for the attack on Formosa (Embassy suggests possibility he may have been in touch with North Korean leaders). British Chargé Peiping reports possibility Korean move primarily diversion for later attack on Formosa. He believes more likely however Peiping not informed on impending North Korean action. He has firm opinion latter came as shocking surprise to CPG. He reports having been reliably informed that Ma Yin-Chu, well known economist and presently Vice Director Financial and Economic Commission CPG expressed view invasion of Formosa would now have to be abandoned. (Foreign Office especially requests name of Chinese source be strictly guarded.)2
Sent Department 86, repeated Moscow 4. Department pass Moscow.
- Not printed. It requested that the Foreign Office be asked concerning any information coming from the British Consul General at Shanghai bearing on Chinese Communist preparations for an invasion of Formosa (794A.00/7–350).↩
- In his telegram 246, July 12, from London, not printed, Ambassador Douglas reported that the general feeling in the British Foreign Office was that the attack on Formosa would be delayed indefinitely. Such little evidence as was available in the Foreign Office indicated that the Chinese Communists were more concerned with Korea and the Chinese land approaches thereto than with Formosa. (794A.00/7–1250)↩