Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Memorandum by Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem, Jr., to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek

On 27 March 1946, the Committee of Three in Chungking signed an agreement providing for the entry of field teams into Manchuria. Due to bad weather and other minor difficulties within the Executive Headquarters, field teams were unable to proceed to Manchuria until 2 April 1946. Shortly after General Byroade’s arrival, 3 April 1946, I received a message from him stating that he was of the opinion that he would be unable to get National members of the field teams to proceed from Mukden into the field. On 4 April 1946, I received another message from General Byroade indicating that the Communists were prepared to proceed with field teams out of Mukden, but that as late as 3 April 1946 the Government team representatives stated they lacked authority to move into the field because their team leader remained in Chinchow. General Byroade stated that he then insisted that they move out from Mukden with the teams but the National representatives insisted and decided to wire for guidance. Late in the evening of 3 April General Byroade had still been unable to persuade the National member to proceed out of Mukden with the field teams.

While I have received no additional information with reference to the National team representatives I have read today a press report dated the 6th of April which states that the American and Communist members of the four cease fire field teams are ready to take the field from Mukden, but that the four top National members were still not prepared to depart. The press report, although not necessarily authoritative, pointed out that the reason the National representatives were not prepared was due to the fact that they were delaying to give the National forces time to take Changchun before the cease fire team could halt the advance. This report may not be true although I am inclined to believe that it is from other circumstantial evidence I have received from both General Byroade and Mr. Robertson.

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If this attitude on the part of the National representatives is true, however, I would like to point out that it is based on an erroneous conception since the cease fire order agreed to by the National Government and the Communist Party on 10 January 1946 contains a stipulation to the effect that Government forces can go into or within Manchuria for the purpose of restoring Chinese sovereignty. I would like to further point out that in view of the absence of appropriate instructions which the Committee of Three has as yet been unable to work out, in spite of my pressing for a satisfactory solution, General Byroade has the intention of implementing the terms of the 10 January 1946 cease fire order since he, as did General Marshall, had no question in their minds during the conferences leading to the signing of this agreement, or since the signing of the agreement, that it would not apply to Manchuria.

Regardless of the reasons for the apparent non-cooperation of the National team members, I feel that I must strongly urge you to issue immediately appropriate instructions to the persons involved in order that some control can be maintained over the critical Manchurian situation. This, I feel, is necessary in order that peace in China, which is at present hanging in balance, can be maintained.

A. C. Gillem, Jr.