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

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Memorandum by General Chou En-lai to General Marshall

Nanking, May 14, 1946.

My Dear General Marshall: In reply to your memorandum No. OSE 31, dated May 11, 1946,²⁷ concerning the Kwangtung affairs the following is submitted:

1. I wish to state responsibly that the Chinese Communist Party is willing to return the money required by the Communist forces in Kwangtung to the Fifth Service Area before July 1, 1946, in the form of grain.

2. I agree with the recommendation of the three Commissioners, as presented in your enclosure No. 2544, that the total estimate of the evacuation expenses be increased to 374,086,000 CNC, though I wish to point out that disparity does exist between this figure and the one given by General Fang Fang, Communist member of the Eighth Field Team, General Tseng Sheng and General Lin Ping, who presented a total of 600,000,000 CNC, of which 400,000,000 CNC comes under evacuation, and 200,000,000 CNC under demobilization. However, being solicitous for an early settlement of the Kwangtung affairs, and a swift implementation of the Canton Agreement, I shall see to it that whatever uncovered expenses be met by the Chinese Communist Party directly, which will turn over the money to Executive Headquarters for transmittance to General Fang Fang through the Eighth Field Team.

3. Regarding the distribution of the money among the different units and groups, it is suggested, that Executive Headquarters shall instruct the Eighth Field Team, that, in close contact with Generalissimo’s Field Headquarters at Canton, and based on the circumstances on the ground, such as the monetary requirement of the units, the number of sub-units to be moved, the method of movement, and the moving schedule etc., it will make decisions at its own discretion. On receipt of the money, the Field Team shall distribute them among the various sub-teams which in turn shall redistribute them among the evacuating troops to the south and north of the East River, and in Northern Kwangtung.

4. It is earnestly desired, that the various sub-teams shall proceed to the field without delay, while instruction is being sent by myself to General Fang Fang to urge on the early despatch of the sub-teams. It is further suggested that swift measures be taken to charge the Field Team and the various sub-teams with the task of mobilizing, assembling, moving and concentrating the Communist forces at the staging area, i.e. Tapeng Peninsula. In equal measure, it is desired, that the Government authority shall in keeping with the statement of General [Chang] Fa-kwei render protection to the Communist forces in the different areas while they are on assemblage or move, and to issue instruction to all Government forces along the marching routes and around the staging area that no attacks and raids shall be made against them under whatever pretext.

I wish to lay special emphasis on this point for this reason that the spokesman of Generalissimo’s Headquarters at Canton recently branded publicly the Communist northern Kwangtung Detachment as “bandits”, notwithstanding the Canton Agreement has definitely specified the North Kwangtung forces as being regarded among the evacuating troops. At the same time, General Fang Fang reported that there are still instances of raids conducted by Government forces against Communist East River units; thus on May 10, the Tsechin-Hailufeng battalion of the South-of-East-River Detachment (see Decision 6 of Canton Agreement) was attacked, resulting in the killing of Kuo Chien-chung, political commissar of the detachment, while attacks by Government troops against North Kwangtung Detachment resulted in the death of commanders of Liu He-tse and Su Kwang-po. It is imperative that such truce-violating actions on part of the Government forces be ceased, and reassurance be given that no similar incident will reoccur.

5. Inasmuch as the assemblage of the Communist forces at the point of embarkation will not be completed before the middle of June according to the procedure specified by the Canton Agreement, even if the sub-teams are despatched right away, it is most desirable, that the American LST shall be held up there until the middle of June, so as to ensure coordination with the evacuation plan.

Any comment you may have thereon shall be appreciated.

[Signature in Chinese]
(

Chou En-lai

)

27. Not printed; it transmitted to General Chou and to General Hsu for consideration copies of telegrams Nos. 2543 May 9 (p. 696), and 2544, May 9 (not printed).