893.00/15231: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:14 p.m.]
97. Following just received from Kunming:2
“On January 11, 10 a.m., an American military convoy comprising two trucks which was returning to Kunming from Wenshan, the headquarters of the Ninth Group Army, was attacked on the highway just south of Milo by 30 uniformed Chinese armed with Bren guns and rifles. During the exchange of fire which followed an American noncommissioned officer was slightly wounded and four of the attacking party were believed to have been killed or wounded. Although the Milo magistrate, to whom the incident was reported, insists that the Chinese involved in the attack were bandits, evidence indicates that they were actually members of the Milo district militia. One militiaman with blood on his collar was later apprehended and some of the medical instruments looted from one of the trucks during the attack were later returned by the Milo militia.
It is noteworthy that this attack occurred on the same highway about 35 miles south of the place where another American convoy was attacked on October 16 last.3
The incident was brought to the attention of the provincial chairman4 this afternoon through the special delegate. Headquarters Y force is also protesting to the provincial authorities, It has been agreed that for the time being at least publicity should be avoided.[”]
- From Arthur R. Ringwalt, Consul at Kunming.↩
- For correspondence concerning this incident, see Foreign Relations, 1943, China, pp. 720 ff.↩
- Gen. Lung Yun.↩