740.0011 Pacific War/3859
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Stevens) to the Secretary of State 17
[Received April 26.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that in conversation yesterday with General Pan Wen-hwa, Vice-Military Affairs Commissioner of Szechwan and Sikang and Szechwan–Shensi–Hupeh Border Defense Commissioner, the General, in response to questions asked or on his own initiative, gave information substantially as follows concerning various aspects of the military situation:
The Japanese have concentrated a large number of military aircraft at various fields in Honan and Hupeh. Several hundred fighters have been assembled in northeastern Honan to intercept American squadrons which may attempt to reach Japan from the Chengtu plain, and about 200 bombers in the Hankow and Ichang areas of Hupeh. Approximately 2,000,000 Japanese troops are moving southward from Manchuria to Central China for the purpose of capturing Chinese occupied sections of the Peiping–Hankow and Canton–Hankow Railways. Their object is to make possible the rapid overland reinforcement of Japanese troops in South China. The Japanese Army in Manchuria has been ordered to remain in China come what may, and to hold North China and Manchuria at all cost.
Unless the Central Government makes further concessions to the Chinese Communists, representatives of whom will shortly visit [Page 48] Chungking, there will be no unity in China after the war. The Chinese Communists are now very strong. Chu Te has a total of over 1,000,000 men under his command, but only about one-half of this number are properly equipped. Chu Te has a large number of supporters in Szechwan, his native province.
The better class of people in Chengtu have been surprised and shocked by the increasing rowdiness of American troops on leave in the city, but there is no feeling of resentment against the United States or Americans generally as a result of this. The American military authorities should take more effective steps to enforce discipline.
General Pan is one of the most reactionary of the Szechwan warlords. His views on local military and political issues generally coincide with those of General Liu Wen-hui, Governor of Sikang since 1939.
Respectfully yours,
- Approved by the Ambassador for transmission to the Department.↩