Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Brigadier General Thomas S. Timberman to Colonel J. Hart Caughey
Peiping, 20 June 1946.
Subject: Status of Evacuation of Communist Armed Personnel from Kwangtun[g].
- 1.
- In order that you may be conversant with current status above
subject, the following facts are presented:
- a.
- Sub Field Teams A, B, C, and D have been in the field since 25 May. Groups A, B, and C (evacuees) are reported at the concentration staging area at Shayuchung, and Group D is expected in time to embark 28 June. Group D was granted a seven-day extension on arrival at staging area on 7 June due to bad roads.
- b.
- Three LSTs have been requested to arrive at Hongkong.
- c.
- Navy plans survey of loading facilities at Chefoo around 4 July.
- d.
- Information here, as to finances, is that: Communist Party has had an initial advance from National Government of one hundred million C. N. C. and 100,000 catties of foodstuffs at Canton up to 17 June. The Communist Party has repaid in grain 1,700,000 catties and has ready for repayment 1,100,000 more catties of grain. The total of the above amounts will repay two hundred million C. N. C. of the National Government Loan for Canton of three hundred seventy-four million, eighty-six thousand C. N. C. The National Government Branch received a radio from Nanking, 18 June, informing them that Canton had been instructed to pay the entire balance of 274,086,000 C. N. C. as soon as possible.
- 2.
- In view of the above, it appears that the evacuation should go off as planned; however, in order to forestall possible costly last minute delays, will you kindly call these matters to the attention of General Chou En-lai advising him of the current situation and of the serious import of needless delay as far as our shipping is concerned.
T. S. Timberman
Brig Gen, U. S. Army
Director of Operations