893.00/15196
The Consul at Kweilin (Ringwalt) to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)85
Sir: I have the honor to report that the November 2, 1943 issue of the Kweilin Sao Tang Pao, generally understood to represent the military clique, contained a news item to the effect that, with the war turning [Page 375] in the favor of the United Nations and with victory in sight, the Chinese Government had begun to plan for the recovery of the lost provinces in northeastern China and for the strengthening of the political organization in these provinces. In this connection, it may be of interest to note the activities and opinions of a group of Manchurian nationalists, headed by the well-known publicist, Mr. Chou Chingwen, who, as a personal friend and devoted follower of General Chang Hsueh-liang,86 has been working tirelessly, if unobtrusively, for the restoration of the Young Marshal to a position of predominance in the Northeastern Provinces.
Summary: The Sian Incident of December 12, 1936,87 led to the cessation of civil war and the adoption of a policy of resistance to Japan. However, General Chang Hsueh-liang, who engineered the Incident, was courtmartialled and subsequently placed under the control of the Military Council. He is now being detained in a village near Kweiyang where he is leading a quiet and studious life. The Young Marshal’s friends are doing everything in their power to have him released. They feel that he enjoys a popularity in China second only to the Generalissimo and that a man of his abilities should be allowed to organize resistance in the northeast where his followers are awaiting a signal from him. Because of its vast resources, its advanced state of industrial development, and its important geographical location between Russia, Japan and China, Manchuria will inevitably play an important part in the future of the Far East. There are four candidates for the role of administrator of this territory: (1) Administrators appointed by Chungking, (2) The revolutionary army now in Manchuria, (3) The Communist forces now in North China, and (4) General Chang Hsueh-liang. According to the Young Marshal’s supporters, his return to Manchuria would be the only logical and fair solution. As a Manchurian, he would be welcomed by his people who remain loyal to him, and who feel they have cause to be suspicious of the motives of the administration in Chungking. The Communists and the Soviet Government would be more inclined to trust him than they would representatives appointed by Chungking. The revolutionary army could be readily won over to his leadership. Finally, he and his followers are committed to policies and principles which are in keeping with those of the United Nations.
It will be recalled that, on December 12, 1936, the Young Marshal engineered the now famous Sian Incident, whereby he placed under detention Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek at the time of the latter’s visit to Sian; and that the Generalissimo was released only after having promised to (1) reject his policy of fratricidal and fruitless warfare against the Communists for one of active military resistance [Page 376] against Japanese aggression, (2) institute a democratic form of government, and (3) release political prisoners.
[Here follows detailed report based on views of Chang’s adherents.]
There is a wide-spread belief that the Chinese Communist Party and troops intend to enter Manchuria whenever an opportunity presents itself, and the Soviet Government would doubtless welcome and support them. Such a development would, however, meet with strong opposition from the Manchurian people, and there would doubtless be a recurrence of civil war. If the Chinese Communists were to obtain the ascendency in Manchuria they would be able to establish a strong liaison with Soviet Russia, and the Communist problem in China would prove even more difficult of solution than it is at present. Any effort on the part of the Central Government forcibly to remove the Communist elements from Manchuria would be foredoomed to failure and might invite Japanese intervention or even open hostilities between China and Russia.
If the Young Marshal and his followers were authorized to take over control of Manchuria, the situation would be entirely different. He would be welcomed by the Manchurian people and he would have little difficulty in obtaining the allegiance of the revolutionary army in Manchuria. A genuine Manchurian administration would be far less inclined to create friction with Soviet Russia than one controlled by the subordinates of Chiang Kai-shek. The New Force is committed to international cooperation externally and popular welfare and freedom internally. These policies would not only satisfy the demands of the Manchurian people after their liberation, but would also be in keeping with the express convictions of the United Nations.
Respectfully yours,
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador in his despatch No. 1830, November 18; received December 10.↩
- Successor to his father, Marshal Chang Tso-lin, as Governor-General of Manchuria in June 1928; former Vice Commander in Chief of the Chinese National Army, Navy, and Air Forces and Commander in Chief of the Northeastern Frontier defense forces until December 1931; later Vice Commander in Chief of bandit suppression forces in northwest China until December 1936.↩
- See Foreign Relations, 1936, vol. iv, pp. 414 ff.↩