Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
General Chou En-lai
to General Marshall
Chungking, 28 January 1946.
Dear General Marshall: Enclosed I am submitting
for your information three memoranda concerning matters relevant to the
execution of the Truce Agreement. I hope that they will be helpful to
you for searching the true light of the field situation since deadline
of the Cease-Fire order.
Faithfully yours,
[Signature in Chinese]
Chou
En-lai
[Enclosure 1]
Memorandum by General Chou
En-lai to General Marshall
No. 101.2–8
Chungking, 28 January 1946.
Subject: On Attacks made by the Nationalist Troops
on Communist-led Troops and Areas.
Following table compiled from reports received here for the period
ending 2400 January 25th shows major incidents of truce violation on
part of Nationalist forces since the truce deadline:
[Here follows list of twenty-three incidents.]
[Enclosure 2]
Memorandum by General Chou
En-lai to General Marshall
No. 101.2–9
Chungking, 28 January 1946.
Subject: On Receiving Surrender of Japanese Troops
Which Are Surrounded by Communist-led Forces.
With regard to the receiving surrender of Japanese troops it has been
understood in the Truce Agreement that the disarmament and movement
of Japanese soldiers should be effected upon the instruction of the
Executive Headquarters. However, I received lately reports from
various places stating that the Nationalist forces, instead of
consulting the Communists, have either upon their own initiative
received surrender of those Japanese forces, which are surrounded by
the Communist-led troops and by right should have surrendered to the
latter, or have upon the instruction of the Nationalist military
authority ordered
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concentration of the Japanese to certain places paying no regard to
Truce Agreement. The cases of such violation are as follows:
- 1.
- After the 15,000 Japanese of the 65th and 72nd Brigades
have been disarmed at Hsinpu, Haichow (also named Tunghai),
a part of them, numbering 1,200, was ordered to march
westward at 1000, on January 14th. As the Communist-led
forces were not consulted with beforehand, armed clashes
ensued. This is the fact, upon which the Ministry of
Military Operations has based its charges against the
Communist-led forces asserting that they have attacked
Paitafu railway station (14 miles west of Haichow).
- 2.
- Around 3,000 Japanese soldiers at Tsangchow, Hsingtai,
Tsing-hsien and Tungpochen (within 70 miles south of
Tientsin on Tientsin-Pukow Railway) were ordered by the 97th
Army on January 14th to be disarmed, and after changed into
civilian clothes to move on January 16th to Tientsin.
- 3.
- Japanese soldiers in the vicinity strongholds of
Shihchiachwang (railway junction in West Hopei) were ordered
by Nationalist troops on January 18th to concentrate at
Shihchiachwang.
It is desired that such actions shall immediately cease, and the
Peiping Executive Headquarters will decide in each case which
Chinese army shall execute the acceptance of surrender at that
particular area.
[Enclosure 3]
Memorandum by General Chou
En-lai to General Marshall
No. 101.2–10
Chungking, 28 January 1946.
Subject: Denial on Government Charges of Truce
Violation on Part of Communist-led Forces.
With reference to the recent charges made by the Ministry of Military
Operations that Communist-led troops at Yuanshih (railway town south
of Shihchiachwang), Anyang (railway town south of the Honan-Hopei
border), Hsiuwu (railway town west of Hsinhsiang, North Honan),
Chü-ao (111°30′, 35°39′), and Chungyang (also named Ninghsiang,
111°13′, 37°14′) have violated Truce Agreement, I have upon my
enquiry received the following reports from Yenan:
- 1.
- Yuanshih town was purely garrisoned by Japanese and puppet
troops. It was encircled by Eighteenth Group Army and local
people’s militia forces ever since days prior to the overall
Japanese surrender. Throughout the past month, the
Communist-led forces have only besieged the town, but never
conducted any operation.
- 2.
- Anyang town, purely garrisoned by puppets, was besieged by
Communist-led troops since quite a long while. However, the
Communist-led troops have taken no aggressive action. Since
the truce deadline hostilities have completely
ceased.
- 3.
- Hsiuwu town was first liberated by Communist-led troops in
last September; subsequently it was wrested away by
Nationalist forces. Since the truce deadline the
Communist-led forces suspended their attack on puppet troops
in the southeast suburb and withdrew. No effort has been
made to attack the town.
- 4.
- Chü-ao town was abandoned by the Communist-led forces
right on receipt of the Cease-Fire order. No offensive
action has been taken subsequently.
- 5.
- Chungyang (Ninghsiang) town was in the hands of the
Communist-led troops since a long time. The charges made by
Nationalist military authority that Communist-led troops had
attacked the town on 14 and 16 January are entirely without
foundation.
From the above reports it may be seen that the charges made by the
Ministry of Military Operations and the Central News in the
aforementioned cases are devoid of any factual basis.
