Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and General Hsu Yung-chang at House 28, Chungking, April 23, 1946, 2:30 p.m.
| Also present: | General Yu Ta-wei |
| Colonel Caughey |
General Hsu explained that he had just been appointed as the Government representative on the Committee of Three.
General Marshall told General Hsu that it would be very necessary for him to know what was going on in his (General Marshall’s) mind in order that they could meet the situation together. General Marshall stated that today, since the Government is in a dangerous position, compromises are necessary. This is a tragedy because the Government had had several opportunities during the past negotiations, beginning in December, to resolve matters satisfactorily but failed to take advantage of these opportunities. Now the Communists are in a position where they can present excessive demands on the Government. In effect the National Government has educated the Communists with a new sense of power which the Communists recognize [Page 794] although they are not aware of the degree to which the National Government is forced to compromise. The principal difficulty in the negotiations to date has been the stubborn attitude on the part of both parties toward the military and political situation; the two are poles apart and refuse to alter their course through a fear that the other party would obtain a favorable position. The fear on both sides appears to have wiped out all logic and the fear is at its worst on the Nationalist side. Neither can agree with me. General Marshall stated he was in the middle and feels that he understands the causes which motivate both.
General Marshall explained that his position was difficult because of the National Government’s adamant attitude toward minor matters such as:
- The Canton situation.
- The Hankow situation.
- National Government failure to turn in troop movement reports.
- Damage to Communist radio in Canton.
- Searching of Communist houses in Peiping.
- CAF aircraft “buzzing” Yenan.
- Detention of Communists at Mukden airfield.
The National Government has gained little in these matters and lost a lot.
General Marshall stated that General Chou’s attitude during these months is the best evidence of the true situation. At first the solution appeared simple and the Communists would have accepted a satisfactory solution to the Central Government. Now circumstances have altered and the Communists have become bolder. General Marshall indicated that he was on the horns of a dilemma; that his major concern at this moment was to protect the honor of the Central Government and at the same time find some way of establishing a unified China.
General Hsu stated that he appreciated General Marshall’s frankness and pointed out that there is a Chinese saying to the effect that a “bystander sees clearly”. General Hsu stated that, as Chief of Operations, he understood the situation clearly and pointed out that Communist opposition had not been anticipated in the coming months since the Sino-Soviet agreement provided control in Manchuria. At this point General Marshall emphatically asserted that the National Government showed poor judgment in seeking the control referred to by General Hsu; that instead National Government troops attacked the Communists at Chifeng and later refused to permit Field Teams into Manchuria. General Marshall said that he would require from General Hsu full cooperation in handling of certain details, one of which faced him immediately. That was the question of providing [Page 795] movement and housing facilities for the Communists at Nanking which to this date, in spite of the necessity for such arrangements, the Generalissimo’s past promises in this regard, and the importance of doing so with respect to solving the present situation, had not yet been done. General Hsu said he would look into the matter immediately. At the termination of the meeting General Marshall handed General Hsu a paper26 containing his (General Marshall’s) most recent statement of principles for arriving at a sound basis in resolving the Manchurian situation. General Hsu thanked General Marshall and said he would study his proposals.
- Supra.↩