JOHN MAGRUDER

Before American entry into the War with Japan, Chiang Kai-shek and the Soongs maintained that they were fighting the Japanese but it was not generally true. They were fighting Mao and his Communists while Mao was fighting the Japanese. By 1942, under pressure from the United States and Russia, the Nationalists and Communists agreed to a truce so that they could both fight against Japan. Based on the promises made to President Roosevelt by Madam Chiang, the Soongs, and Chiang himself, there was an expectation of extensive military attacks against the Japanese. The U. S. then sent a large amount of military aid to Chiang Kai-shek, but there did not appear to be any significant attacks against the Japanese other than those mounted by the Communists. Magruder, General Marshall’s emissary to Chiang Kai-shek was instructed to investigate. When the war ended, Chiang Kai-shek used the assets he was saving in to attack Mao and his communists just as he had done before the truce. Magruder had been right. However, just as Chiang could not defeat the militarily inferior Communists before the truce, he could not do so after. Soon Mao turned the tables and drove Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalists out of Mainland China. President Roosevelt had brilliantly judged the ability of England, Russia, and Yugoslavia to fight the Germans, but as this quotation and {641677} shows, he listened to the wrong people. He had been sold a “bill of goods” by the China Lobby, the Soongs and Chiang Kai-shek.

Magruder and his boss OSS Director Donovan did not believe that the military services, the State Department nor the FBI could or should properly be breaking the laws of foreign nations which would be virtually certain if one was spying in foreign nations. They advocated the formal extension of a the wartime OSS which became the CIA. Magruder convinced Secretary Lovett and this was important in establishing a CIA successor to the OSS.

Magruder and his boss OSS Director Donovan did not believe that the military services, the State Department nor the FBI could or should properly be breaking the laws of foreign nations which would be virtually certain if one was spying in foreign nations. They advocated the formal extension of a the wartime OSS which became the CIA. Magruder convinced Secretary Lovett and this was important in establishing a CIA successor to the OSS.

Before American entry into the War with Japan, Chiang Kai-shek and the Soongs maintained that they were fighting the Japanese but it was not generally true. They were fighting Mao and his Communists while Mao was fighting the Japanese. By 1942, under pressure from the United States and Russia, the Nationalists and Communists agreed to a truce so that they could both fight against Japan. Based on the promises made to President Roosevelt by Madam Chiang, the Soongs, and Chiang himself, there was an expectation of extensive military attacks against the Japanese. The U. S. then sent a large amount of military aid to Chiang Kai-shek, but there did not appear to be any significant attacks against the Japanese other than those mounted by the Communists. Magruder, General Marshall’s emissary to Chiang Kai-shek was instructed to investigate. When the war ended, Chiang Kai-shek used the assets he was saving in to attack Mao and his communists just as he had done before the truce. Magruder had been right. However, just as Chiang could not defeat the militarily inferior Communists before the truce, he could not do so after. Soon Mao turned the tables and drove Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalists out of Mainland China. President Roosevelt had brilliantly judged the ability of England, Russia, and Yugoslavia to fight the Germans, but as this quotation and {641677} shows, he listened to the wrong people. He had been sold a “bill of goods” by the China Lobby, the Soongs and Chiang Kai-shek.