Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East: China, Volume IX

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and Governor Chang Chun, at House 28, Chungking, January 14, 1946, 1:30 p.m.

Chungking, January 14, 1946, 1:30 p.m.

Also present:	Col. Caughey68
	Col. Pee69

1. Governor Chang Chun opened the meeting by referring to the exchange of correspondence between himself and General Chou En-lai on the 13th of January. (The correspondence in question is General Chou En-lai’s letter to Governor Chang Chun stating there was continued fighting as of the 13th on the part of the 42nd Army whose objective appeared to be Chihfeng. Governor Chang Chun answered this letter and in turn, stated the Communists’ New 4th Army was also as of that date still fighting.)

2. Governor Chang Chun then gave the following information:

a. Information available to him and stated as being of reliable source indicates presence in Chihfeng of approximately 10,000 local peasants, laborers and farmers organized by Chinese Communists into a military force. That a certain Japanese by the name of Tanaka is responsible for training this force. That armament for this force is supplied by Soviets including 20,000 rifles, 150 heavy machine guns and 25 field pieces. That Soviet troops are present in Chihfeng which exercise command over this local force.

b. That puppet forces at Suchow under command of Ho Pang-chu are being agitated by the Communists and the Central Government is fearful that these forces will join the Communists.

c. Lincheng and Tsaochwang (20 miles due east of Lincheng and location of important coal mine), both towns on Tientsin–Pukow railroad in Shantung province are reported as containing Nationalist troops surrounded by Communists. Air drop is only means of supply to these forces because ground communications, except wireless, are cut off. Central Government is anxious that this block be reduced.

3. Governor Chang Chun then brought up the question of the activation of the Military Sub-Committee to study reorganization of the Armies of China which had been agreed to in the minutes of the 5th meeting⁷⁰ of the Committee of Three.

4. Governor Chang Chun next brought up the question of agreement in the 6th meeting⁷¹ of the Committee of Three to direct the Executive Headquarters to send three-man teams into Jehol and Chahar for the purpose of investigating circumstances existing at that time.

5. With reference to paragraph 1 above, General Marshall was able to inform Governor Chang Chun that action had already been taken on the exchange of letters between Chang Chun and Chou En-lai by forwarding the sum and substance of these letters (42 and 43⁷²) to the Executive Headquarters directing that it send three-man teams to investigate the conditions.

6. With reference to paragraph 2 above, General Marshall informed Chang Chun that he would pass this information to the Executive Headquarters (49⁷³ was dispatched immediately after the meeting). 49 also informed Col. Byroade and Mr. Robertson that General Marshall had gotten agreement from the two sides to refrain from press accusations of failure to observe armistice agreements and asked that the three commissioners should reach similar agreement.

7. With reference to paragraph 3 and 4 above, General Marshall was able to present to Chang Chun for his perusal drafts to accomplish the terms of agreements reached. General Marshall informed Governor Chang Chun that he proposed to sign these agreements then forward them to Chou En-lai for signature and that upon the accomplishment of this would ask General Chang Chun to sign. (At this point General Marshall signed the two agreements, dispatched Colonel Caughey with the agreements to get General Chou’s signature. Colonel Caughey returned with the signed documents at which point Governor Chang Chun signed them. The two agreements, i. e., the directive to the Executive Headquarters⁷⁴ and the memorandums to the Generalissimo and Chairman Mao Tse-tung with reference to development of plans for the Military Sub-Committee for, reorganization of the Armies of China⁷⁵ were dispatched this date.)

8. There was an exchange of platitudes and the meeting adjourned at 1550.

68. Col. J. Hart Caughey, G. S. C., Executive Officer on General Marshall’s staff.
69. Col. Peter Pee, personal aide to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
70. January 10, p. 104.
71. January 10, p. 119.
72. Telegram No. 43 not printed, but see footnote 65, p. 344.
73. Not printed.
74. January 14, p. 345.
75. January 14, p. 188.