Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
General Marshall to Lieutenant General Albert C. Wedemeyer92
73. Reports of continued Communist hostile activity on the part of the Communist New Fourth Army in Shantung continue to reach me. Since Byroade is short on personnel, particularly Communists, and since the area of these particular hostilities is Shantung and [Page 367] Anwhei Provinces, I propose to dispatch a balanced team from Shanghai to Suchow in an effort to cause hostilities to cease. I am therefore bringing with me tomorrow to Shanghai93 one Communist and one Nationalist representative which I hope can depart from Shanghai for Suchow together with an American representative for this purpose as soon as possible.
Could you designate an appropriate American representative to accompany this team which will report to General Ku Chu Tung, Commander Suchow Pacification area and also arrange for appropriate aircraft and weather check? Would like the team to depart Sunday.
General Chou En-lai is sending a message to General Chen Yie, Commander Communist New Fourth Army, instructing that he designate a representative to report to the commander of the Nationalist Ninety-Seventh Army at Lincheng, Southern Shantung Province, for safe conduct to Suchow to assist in, and expedite, continued negotiations.
General Shang Chen is sending a message to the commander of the Nationalist Ninety-Seventh Army and to the commander Suchow Pacification area regarding the reporting, and safe conduct, of the Communist representative referred to above.