Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
Mr. Walter S. Robertson to General Marshall
336. This is Trusum No. 28 for period ended 2400, 11 Feb: Documents A, B, and C of the railroad agreement38 drawn up at Chungking by the Committee of Three have been received at Executive Hq. in Peiping. Document A is being issued as General Directive 4A of Executive Hq. Document C and a résumé of Document B will go to all teams for information on 12 February. Official copies in English and Chinese will follow by courier mail.
Lt. Col. Drake will proceed to Tolun on 12 Feb as Executive Hq observer, to determine the facts concerning alleged large scale troop movements in that area. He will be accompanied by a Communist representative and an American enlisted man.
At a meeting held by Team No. 15 on 10 February, Nationalist and Communist commanders in the Tehsien area signed an agreement which provided as follows:
- a.
- The cease fire order will be strictly obeyed.
- b.
- Troops will not be moved from the areas now occupied.
- c.
- The food blockade will be lifted immediately for civilians, allowing them free movement outlying areas.
- d.
- The Communists will lend Nationalist troops 50,000 catties of food.
- e.
- The agreement will be effective indefinitely unless changed by Executive Hq.
- f.
- Both Nationalists and Communists will abide by all future decisions of Executive Hq. in Peiping as they apply to the Tehsien area. The area covered by this agreement includes the town of Tehsien and the outlying districts to the South and East.
Team No. 7, which departed this morning for Tsinan, was forced by adverse weather to return to Peiping.
Additional information: A meeting was held in Peiping on 10 February, and attended by Communist Commissar Yao Shan Shih, General Yeh Chien Ying, Communist commissioner, and Col. John P. Lake, American member of Team No. 7. After discussion, the following points were agreed to as the Communist position:
- a.
- The cease fire order will be observed to the letter.
- b.
- Food will be permitted to enter all areas in Shantung Province without restriction and will be distributed by a committee, the size and [Page 433] composition of this committee will be decided by field Team No. 7 at Tsinan.
- c.
- The railroad between Changtien and Poshan may be reconstructed immediately. Pending final decision on railroads from Peiping or Chungking, this line will be under Communist management.
- d.
- Coal may move from the Poshan area without interruption provided it is bought and paid for by the person or firm using it. This statement of position will be a basis for negotiation by Team No. 7 at Tsinan.