Office of the Historian

44. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China1

Washington, August 27, 1955—3:42 p.m.

139. Your 158.2 Department concerned at Sun Li-jen difficulties and following developments closely. Your reporting commended. Close coverage should be continued.

[Page 70]

Your instructions local US representatives noted. In view somewhat moderated tone and content of charges as published, unofficial personal reaction his friends among US personnel to questions might be affirm faith that Sun not capable of disloyalty to Free China rather than term charges incredible.

FYI Since US Government does not take official position on such matters which are outside its competence, question of US dropping or not dropping Sun would not seem to arise.

Ambassador Koo discussed case with Admiral Radford August 20. Radford told Koo that he had greatest respect for General Sun and did not doubt his loyalty. Suggested that Commission of Inquiry not confine itself solely to Sun’s possible implication in Ping Tung incident, but also inquire into underlying causes this incident and larger problem of political influences in Chinese Armed Forces.

Henderson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.551/8–2355. Secret. Drafted and approved by McConaughy.↩

  2. Telegram 158 from Taipei, August 23, reads in part as follows:

    “View release of statement on case Sun Li-jen, am instructing all offices Embassy including Attachés that great care should be exercised in commenting. As General Sun widely identified with American viewpoint on military matters, for US just to drop him unceremoniously and ignominiously at this point would be considered by many as disloyalty on our part. When questioned by Chinese friends, our reaction will be that in past, General Sun has contributed substantially to the success of our military aid programs and has cooperated whole-heartedly with US in all fields, hence we were surprised at the charges, which seem almost incredible; but we are reserving judgment pending outcome commission of inquiry.” (Ibid.) General Sun had served most recently as Chief of Staff to President Chiang. Telegram 151 from Taipei, August 20, reported a Chinese Government announcement that day that Sun had resigned on August 3 “as an admission of negligence in connection with case of Communist agent Kuo Ting-liang” and that a Commission of Inquiry had been established. (Ibid., 793.00/8–2055)

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