Marshall Mission Files, Lot 50–D270: Telegram
Colonel Ivan D. Yeaton, Commanding Officer of the Yenan Observer Group, to Lieutenant General Albert C. Wedemeyer
At a two-hour conference with General Chu Teh yesterday he twice repeated “Now that the U. S. China policy has changed”, (to the better).
[Page 794]This statement coupled with Communist spokesman’s press release stating “President Truman’s suggestions are welcomed by Chinese Democrats” and “we hope that American troops in China will swiftly disarm and repatriate Jap troops” manifest the natural change in Communist line to quickly take advantage of and over-interpret the President’s speech.
In answer to Koji’s54 question “Would not the disarming of Japs by American troops still detract from China’s prestige in view of past expressed opinions on this matter in Communist newspapers?”, General Chu replied, “It is now not a problem of prestige but how Japs can quickly be disarmed and repatriated”, adding that it is most important how other forces will be used to implement mission of U. S. Forces which has not been carried out quickly enough. He naturally added the Communist forces would be glad to cooperate with U. S. Forces and explained that in the past a Communist office was set up in Tientsin for this purpose but dissolved by Kmt.55 (Reds in past repeatedly charged U. S. troops for arresting and disarming their Tientsin officials.)
YOG comments: Slight hint in U. S. policy has quickly brought out a desperate cry to stop the civil war earliest and successfully conclude negotiations. I detect a new low in assurance and believe Communists ready to make greater concessions than ever before and at same time if General Marshall’s reactions favorable to throw themselves in the lap of United States.