740.0011 PW/7–645
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Rice) to the Ambassador in China (Hurley)60
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatches no. 85, December 12 [13], 1944 and no. 138, March 1, 194561 in regard to puppet forces, as well as to my despatch no. 157, March 29, 1945,62 “Chinese Military Dispositions in the First and Fifth War Zones” and to report as follows in regard to the establishment of two new military areas designated the Eleventh and Twelfth War Zones. This information has reached me through semi-official channels and is stated to have been derived from preliminary and incomplete instructions received at Sian. Although it probably is for the most part correct, it doubtless contains inaccuracies.
Summary: Two new war zones are being created in north China and Inner Mongolia: (1) the Eleventh War Zone, including most of western Honan, Shantung, Hopeh and possibly part of northernmost Hupeh and commanded by General Sun Lien-chung; and, (2) the Twelfth War Zone, comprising Suiyuan and the Yülin area of the northernmost part of Shensi, under General Fu Tso-yi. The creation of these new war zones cuts their commanders loose from the control of superiors who are preoccupied with the problems of rear areas and frees them for attention to the problems of regaining for the Central Government areas of North China and Inner Mongolia now occupied by the Japanese and the Communists. (End of Summary).
[Here follows detailed report.]
General Sun Lien-chung, in charge of the Eleventh War Zone, should prove a good choice for the task of seeking the adherence to the Chungking Government, at the proper time, of the puppet commanders in north China. It is my understanding that almost all the principal puppet generals in that area are acquainted with him and that many of them served with him under General Feng Yü-hsiang. [Page 129] (Among these reputed former subordinates of General Feng are General Sun Liang-ch’eng, Commander-in-Chief of the Second District Army, stationed in southern Hopeh and northern Honan; General Wu Hua-wen, Commander-in-Chief of the Third District Army, stationed in Shantung; General Ho P’eng-chü, Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth District Army, stationed in northern Kiangsu; General Pang Ping-hsün, Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth District Army, stationed in northern Honan; and, General Chang Lan-feng, Commander-in-Chief of the Second Group Army, stationed on both sides of the Lunghai Railway east of Chenghsien, Honan.[)]
General Fu Tso-yi, before he left Chungking at the conclusion of this spring’s Sixth Kuomintang Congress, is quite reliably reported to have been told by Chiang K’ai-shek that his forces would be ordered to reoccupy the Peking–Tientsin area as part of the expected counter-offensive in north China and that later they were to press northward from there into Manchuria. The forces at present under General Fu Tso-yi are not very large, but they are reported by an informed and probably reliable subordinate of General Fu to be in excellent condition.
Respectfully yours,