Truman



US:Involvement

of President

Truman In the

Chinese Civil War  //"The Government of the United States believes it essential: 1--That a cessation of hostilities be arranged between the armies of the National Government and the Chinese Communists and other dissident Chinese armed forces for the purpose of completing the return of all China to effective Chinese control, including the immediate evacuation of the Japanese forces. 2--That a national conference of representatives of major political elements be arranged to develop an early solution to the present internal strife-a solution which will bring about the unification of China. "//

[|PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S STATEMENT ON U. S. POLICY TOWARD CHINA released December 15, 1945 to the New York Times.]

  It was the belief of the US government under the guidance of President Truman that a strong, united and democratic China was of the utmost importance to the success of the newly formed United Nations Organization(a project closely linked to Truman) and world peace. It was thought that a disorganized and divided China divided by either foreign aggression, such as that undertaken by the Japanese, or by the violent internal strife of the civil war,would be an undermining influence to world stability and peace, at the time and into the future.

The United States Government had long subscribed to the principle that the management of internal affairs in a country was the responsibility of the people of that country and no other nations.However, after the events of WW2 it was believed that a breach of peace anywhere in the world would threaten that of the entire world. It was therefore in the best interests of President Truman, the USA and the United Nations for the people of China to adjust their internal differences quickly through the use of peaceful negotiation. The United States and the United Nations recognized the GMD as the only legal Government in China. It saw the GMD as the proper instrument towards achieving a unified China.

The United States, United Kingdom and the USSR were all committed to the liberation of China; including the return of Manchuria to Chinese control. The following agreements were made with the National Government of the Republic of China in regard to this:

 In the interest of a continued, constant and close collaboration with the GMD during WW2, in acordance with the Potsdam Declaration, and to remove the possibility of the Japanese influence remaining in China, the United States took it as their obligation to assisted the GMD in the disarmament and evacuation of all Japanese troops occupying the liberated areas of China through the placement of United States Marines in the North of China.
 *  Cairo declaration in 1943- United Kingdom
 *  Potsdam Declaration July 1945- USSR
 *  Sino-Soviet Treaty and agreements August, 1945- USSR

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The United States recognised the GMD and cooperated with them in regards to international affairs, specifically focusing on eliminating all Japanese influence from China. The United States was convinced that a prompt arrangement for a cease fire was essential to achieving this goal. The United States support did not extend to military intervention to influence the course of the Chinese Civil war.

The United States had already been compelled to pay a great price to restore the peace which was first broken by Japanese aggression in Manchuria with the Marco Polo Bridge incident. The maintenance of peace in the Pacific was jeopardized, by Japanese influence in China and in order for the peace to be restored the Japanese were to be wholly removed and China needed to take its place as a unified, democratic and peaceful nation. This was the purpose of the United States military and naval forces in China.

It was believed that the existence of autonomous armies such as that of the Communist Army was inconsistent with, and was concidered to make it impossible, to politically unify China. With the institution of a broadly representative government, it was said that autonomous armies should be eliminated as such and all armed forces in China integrated effectively into the Chinese National Army. media type="youtube" key="DTZI6wN-nyQ&hl=en" height="355" width="425"

Concistant with the US policy of 'self determination' it was considered that detailed steps were necessary to achieve political unity in China and these steps were to be worked out by the Chinese themselves, "intervention by any foreign government in these matters would be inappropriate". The United States Government felt that China had a clear responsibility to the other United Nations to eliminate armed conflict within its territory as it constituted a threat to world stability and peace, "a responsibility which is shared by the National Government and all Chinese political and military groups."

As China moved towards peace and unity along the lines described above, the United States were prepared to assist the National Government in every reasonable way to rehabilitate the country, improve the agrarian and industrial economy, and establish a military organization capable of discharging China's national and international responsibilities for the maintenance of peace and order.

In continuing this assistance, the USA were prepared to give favorable consideration to Chinese requests for credits and loans under reasonable conditions for projects which would contribute toward the development-of a healthy economy throughout China and healthy trade relations between China and the United States.

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