Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
Colonel J. Hart Caughey to General Marshall
481. Committee of Three departed this morning for Peiping at 0930. Nationals are General Chang Chih Chung,5 Deputy Director Board of Operations, representing the National Government, General Yu Ta-wei assisting and Colonel Pee. Communists are General Chen Shih-chu and Mr. Chang Wen-chin. General Gillem took Major Berger and Captain Soong. General Chen Cheng, recently reassigned by the Generalissimo to the Committee of Three, would not [Page 754] accompany because of ill health. General Chou En-lai could not accompany due to the fact that General Yeh, who could have taken Chou’s place on the military side and Mr. Chin Pang-hsian upon whom Chou was depending to continue on political matters here in Chungking were lost on U. S. C–47 arranged for by this office between here and Yenan 2 days ago. Twelve other Communists aboard. Shanghai, Chungking and CAF still searching. General Chou has made arrangements for Commissioner Yeh to accompany party from Peiping to Mukden to represent the Communist Party. This was a surprise since a message from Mr. Robertson yesterday protested Commissioner Yeh’s apparent voluntary absence from Executive Headquarters for a period of 1 week. When this was mentioned to Chou he acted surprised.
After a gruelling series of meetings, Committee got virtually nowhere with reference to an amplification of instructions for field teams in Manchuria. National Government representative and General Gillem pressed for appropriate arrangements to implement the basic agreement concerning reestablishment of sovereignty in Manchuria by National Government. Communists remained adamant, however, and fell back always on the 27 March agreement for entry of the teams (see 3796) stating that this agreement should provide sufficient basis for the cessation of hostilities. In other words, a complete deadlock remains as to area jurisdiction, particularly Changchun.