893.00/5–3045
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Rice) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 22.]
Sir: Reference is made to my despatches to the Department no. 21, January 9, entitled “Organization and Expansion of Communist-controlled Areas”, no. 22, May 19, “Yen Hsi-shan—his Attitudes toward and Relations with the Communists and the Japanese”55 and no. 23, May 21, 1945, “Attitude of Inner Mongolians toward Possible Incorporation in Outer Mongolia and Communist Activity Directed toward that End”. I have the honor now to report as follows in regard to Communist attempts to extend their control in Honan Province.
Summary: The Chinese Communists have been reported as already having penetrated not less than forty five hsien of Honan and to be at present expanding in that province into areas now behind the Japanese lines which, until the end of March, 1945, had been occupied by Central Government forces. A bitter struggle for control of some of these hsien has taken place, the usual results being the expulsion of Kuomintang officials and either the driving out or the incorporation in Communist forces of their troops. (However, some pockets of Kuo-mintang-controlled territory do exist behind the Japanese lines near areas in which the Communists are active.) Apparently the Communists are the more dynamic and aggressive, vis-à-vis both the rival Chinese political party and the Japanese, in their efforts to organize and control guerrilla territory. It appears, on the basis of the situation in Honan, that unless factors not now apparent alter the situation, full-scale civil war may be expected to follow the defeat of the Japanese and their expulsion from China. (End of Summary.)
[Here follows detailed report.]
It seems to me that two wars are at present in progress in parts of north China—one an international war in which the Japanese are fighting Kuomintang troops on regular fronts and Communists in their [Page 398] rear, the other a sporadic and limited civil war in which Kuomintang and Communist forces and agents contend for control of guerrilla territory behind the regular fronts. In this latter war, it seems to me, the Communists are proving the more effective. If each of the two Chinese parties continues to pursue its present policies and if no factors not now apparent to me are injected into the situation, I should expect full-scale civil war to break out after the Japanese menace is removed.
Respectfully yours,
Approved for transmission:
For the Ambassador:
Robert L. Smyth
Counselor of Embassy
- Despatch No. 22 not printed.↩