Office of the Historian

893.00/8–3145: Telegram

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

Chungking, August 31, 1945—5 p.m.
[Received August 31–9:50 a.m.]

1489. General Wedemeyer has no confirmation of alarmist report (Reurtel 1370, August 30, 6 [8] p.m.) concerning situation in Shanghai. He has representatives in Shanghai and one of our Assistant Military Attachés left for that city today. Wedemeyer is making every effort to ascertain the fact, which will immediately be reported to the Department. (As the Department is aware from recent telegrams, the British, French, Dutch et cetera have been making every effort to persuade Wedemeyer to transport their representatives to Shanghai, and the message from Bern to which Dept refers sounds as if it might be inspired by those interests.)

Wedemeyer has just received a message in similarly alarmist vein from Mountbatten24 relative to alleged Annamite agitation and preparations for disorder in that area. Mountbatten implied readiness to take over sections within China Theater.

Hurley
  1. Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia.↩