740.0011 Pacific War/3526
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
No. 1678
Chungking, October 14,
1943.
[Received November 6.]
Sir: Reference is made to telegrams in regard, inter alia, to the reported withdrawal of Japanese
troops from China, as follows: Embassy’s 1793, September 24, 9 a.m.; 1816,
September 28, 9 a.m.; 1818, September 28, 11 a.m.; and 1923, October 12, 4
[3] p.m.66 There is now enclosed copy of despatch no. 82, October
2, 1943 from the Embassy officer at Sian, reporting information on this
subject as related to him by travelers arriving from the occupied areas and
by official Chinese sources.
According to the despatch, the number of Japanese troops withdrawn from north
China is not known, but it must be considerable and they are doubtless being
transferred to more active or potentially active theaters of operations in
eastern Asia. The withdrawals, if they have actually been taking place,
would appear to indicate that the Japanese entertain little fear of the
consequences of possible Chinese offensive operations in north China.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure]
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China
(Drumright)
to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)
No. 82
Sian, October 2,
1943.
Sir: I have the honor to report that,
according to information received from travelers arriving from the
Japanese-occupied areas and from official Chinese sources, the Japanese
appear to be carrying out
[Page 139]
a
policy of a gradual reduction of Japanese garrisons in north China.
These reductions are reported to be occurring not so much in important
military centers such as Yuncheng, Taiyuan, Sinsiang, Kaifeng, Hsuchow,
et cetera, as in outlying garrison posts. It is asserted that some of
the less important posts have been abandoned altogether, in others the
proportion of Japanese troops has been reduced and that of Chinese
puppet forces increased, and in others puppet units have taken over
entirely from the Japanese. The number of Japanese troops withdrawn from
north China in this manner is not known, but it must be considerable;
they are doubtless being transferred to more active or potentially more
active theaters of operations in eastern Asia.
Continued Japanese troop withdrawals from the north China theater, if
true, would appear to indicate that the Japanese entertain little fear
of the consequences of possible Chinese offensive operations in that
area. The vastly superior communication facilities of the Japanese and
their system of defense fortifications are doubtless relied upon to a
great extent by the Japanese to stem potential Chinese offensive
operations in the north China theater.
Respectfully yours,
