893.00/11–1645
The Navy Department to the Department of State 37
The following dispatch, dated 15 November 1945, from the Commander, Seventh Fleet, is paraphrased for the information of the Department of State:
“It is reliably reported that Chinese Communists in Weihaiwei and Chefoo are being supplied by the Soviets with munitions of war and Chinese personnel from Dairen. Upon receiving the report that the Commanding General, First Marine Division,38 was fired upon while enroute Chin Wang Tao by personnel in a village a few hundred yards north of Lorn Shien (latitude 39–45, longitude 118–45), the Commanding General of the Third Amphibious Corps39 informed the Communist leader in the village that he would order the village strafed by aircraft in the event of further attacks on U.S. forces. In the event of a repetition, the Commanding General will carry out his threat unless the Commanding General, China Theatre, directs otherwise. An apparently exaggerated estimate which appeared in the Communist press reported that 150,000 Japanese troops, operating in conjunction with Kmt forces, are presently attacking Communist-held areas. Actually, it appears that the only Japanese participation is in the performance of garrison duty and in the repairing and holding of communication lines. It was reported on 13 November that 3500 [Page 635] Japanese repatriates were assembled in Tientsin awaiting transportation to Tangku. Communist troop activity Shan Tung was reported by aerial reconnaissance on the same date, numerous troops having been seen in Chefoo. Satisfactory progress with respect to the occupation of Formosa is reported.”
Rear Admiral, USN