Office of the Historian

893.00/4–1346: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China (Smyth) to the Secretary of State

Chungking, April 13, 1946—8 a.m.
[Received 3:15 p.m.]

672. About 2 weeks ago I heard from fairly reliable source and it has now been confirmed by an unimpeachable source that Generalissimo has issued secret orders to local military authorities to eradicate completely but quietly by whatever means necessary the pocket of [Page 642] Communists immediately North Hankow. Communists do not seem to be aware of this yet but are getting worried and feel that something is in the wind.

Chief of Staff, Wang Chen, of New Fourth Army informs me that they are having difficulty demobilizing because when men return to homes in Nationalist territory they are murdered by Govt, troops.

This is Hankow’s 13, April 10 to Embassy, sent to Dept. as 672, April 13, 8 a.m.96

Smyth
  1. In telegram No. 657, April 16, 7 p.m., to the Embassy in China, the Secretary of State requested the Counselor of Embassy to show telegram No. 672 to General Marshall “immediately upon arrival” of the latter in China.↩