Office of the Historian

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram

Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem, Jr.,65 to Mr. Walter S. Robertson, at Peiping

[Chungking,] 13 March 1946.

326. Prior to General Marshall’s departure to the United States he had on many occasions mentioned the unsatisfactory condition in the Canton area to Generals Chang66 and Chou collectively and individually. 810 refers. On 9 March at a Committee of Three meeting67 the overall situation was discussed with the following result. General Chou was very anxious that something be done to alleviate the situation and at the same time General Chang remained noncommittal as to “recognition” of these forces as Communists. General Chou stated that there were some 3000 Communist forces involved and that these had been forced into isolated places the locations of which only he and a few other Communist leaders knew. Chang Fa Kwei is in town and Chou and Chang have seen him without satisfactory results. Seeing no immediate solution to the idea of “recognition” of these forces, General Marshall dispatched, with Chang’s and Chou’s knowledge, a radio68 to Commanding General China asking him to query Cooke as to availability of LST’s or other vessels for evacuation by water to Chefoo at an early date. In this same radio General Marshall suggested that a small port distant from Canton be selected for assembly, medical examination, preparation, etc. General Wedemeyer has not replied. You will be kept informed.

  1. Acting for General Marshall who left China on March 11 for consultation in Washington.↩
  2. General Chang Chih-chung, Chinese Government representative on the Military Sub-Committee and the Committee of Three.↩
  3. For minutes of meeting of Military Sub-Committee, see p. 516.↩
  4. See telegram No. 306, March 9, p. 613.↩