861.77 Chinese Eastern/546: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Perkins) to the Secretary of State
1069. My 1064, December 1, 10 p.m. Following from American Consul at Harbin:
“December 2, 5 p.m. Chinese higher command fled from Buketu when Soviet aeroplanes first started drop bombs. Thousands [of] Russian refugees slowly making way toward Harbin, are being robbed by Chinese soldiers who are taking booty, including horses and cattle to the hills off main road. Soldier rabble has looted every place east Hupah [?] and including Chalantun to which place only trains now run and which has been reached but not bombed by Soviet aeroplanes.
General Wang Shu-chang, commander of First Army, has about three thousand Fengtien troops at Harbin and he assured consuls, November 30th, he could maintain peace and quiet here, but little faith is placed in his assurances. He stated that of the 40,000 Chinese troops formerly between Buketu and Manchuria Station there only remained in that section a few thousand disarmed at Manchuria Station and a few thousand cavalry near Hailar. Tsai and Li, part of the way on foot and part by car attached to locomotive, have crossed frontier at Pogranichnaya. They were very secretive regarding their mission and destination. It is difficult to secure here information regarding peace overtures but it would appear that prospects of an immediate preliminary settlement are not so bright as the Soviet Propaganda Bureau’s reports attempt to indicate. Chinese merchants who are sending families and large amount salary money south desire restoration of normal conditions at any price. Embassy informed in regard to looting by the Chinese troops and to Tsai and Li crossing into Siberia.”
- Telegram in two sections.↩