Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy - Ludwig von Mises ...

144 Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy
agreement on more fundamental issues satisfactory to all parties
concerned. 26
China Objects to U.S. Revised
3-Month MODUS VIVENDI
Word of the proposed U.S. modus vivendi soon reached
Chiang Kai-shek. On November 25 “numerous hysterical cable
messages to diff erent Cabinet offi cers and high offi cials in the
Government” began arriving from him and his associates. 27 Th ey
“bombarded Washington with demands that no further concessions
be made to Tokyo.” 28 Chiang cabled Knox, Stimson, and
Morgenthau to say the same thing. 29 He also cabled Churchill in
England.
Chiang appeared frantic. He asked his brother-in-law and
personal emissary in Washington, Dr. T.V. Soong of China
Defense Supplies, Inc., to contact Stimson and Knox.
If, therefore, there is any relaxation of the embargo or freezing
regulations, or if a belief of that gains ground, then the Chinese
people would consider that China has been completely sacrifi
ced by the United States. Th e morale of the entire people will
collapse and every Asiatic nation will lose faith, and indeed
suff er such a shock in their faith in democracy that a most
tragic epoch in the world will be opened. Th e Chinese army
will collapse, and the Japanese will be enabled to carry through
26Department of State, Th e Far East, pp. 655–56. British Embassy to Department
of State.
27Ibid., pp. 685–87, Hull memorandum concerning November 29 conversation
with the Japanese ambassadors.
28Rees, Harry Dexter White, p. 124.
29 Blum, From the Morgenthau Diaries, p. 386.