Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Mr. Walter S.
Robertson to General Marshall
Dear General Marshall: General Yeh returned to
his office on Monday, after many weeks of illness. A Commissioners’
meeting had been scheduled for that morning to consider many critical
problems confronting our Headquarters. Much of the trouble had to do
with the action of the Communist team members, who were completely
immobilizing our teams in many areas. General Yeh asked that the meeting
be postponed until he could familiarize himself with the subjects on the
agenda. We of course agreed to do so.
Late Monday afternoon General Yeh came into my office for a long personal
discussion. He said that the Communist withdrawal from Ssupingkai and
Changchun offered a most favorable opportunity for the two sides to
reach agreement on the Manchurian issues, which should permit agreement
on all other questions at issue. He reiterated several times that now
was the time for everyone interested in peace to redouble his efforts to
achieve it. He commented on the friendly relations which existed between
the Americans and the Chinese of both sides in Executive Headquarters
and expressed regret that such relations did not exist to the same
extent between the two Chinese factions. He thought that closer and more
friendly personal contact between the Chinese representatives would
result in settling many questions which now reach the deadlock stage. He
stated he was personally going to make a particular effort to this
end.
General Cheng Kai-min44 is still
absent, but General Yeh said he would start immediately with his deputy,
General Tsai. He had a long conversation with Tsai, followed by a
similar conversation between General Lo, the Communist Chief of Staff,
and General Tsai. At one time in our operation, these latter two
gentlemen were at daggers’ points over almost every question. We were
therefore particularly gratified to hear from General Yeh of the
friendly and satisfactory discussions which had taken place.
We held our meeting Wednesday afternoon in an atmosphere of cordiality
and good feeling. The result is indicated by the enclosed copies of the
minutes45 and
message which it was agreed at the meeting should be dispatched to the
Committee of Three for approval and transmission to the Generalissimo
and Chairman Mao.
Since General Yeh’s return there has been a noticeable change for the
better in the Communist attitude throughout our various levels of
operation. We are still having many difficulties in the field. Both
[Page 932]
Chinese Commissioners, as you
will note from the minutes, feel that this is a situation that can now
be corrected only by orders from the highest authority on both sides. It
is for this reason that the proposed message was agreed upon.
I was disturbed by the import of the message I received for transmittal
in your 804 and greatly disappointed in the reply given in our 3371. We
are acutely aware of your difficulties and constantly amazed and
inspired by your patience.
With kindest regards [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The Three
Commissioners to the Committee of
Three, at Nanking
This message from the Three Commissioners of Executive Headquarters
is addressed to the Committee of Three for approval and delivery to
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and Chairman Mao Tse-tung.
The proceedings and recommendations of a meeting of the Three
Commissioners held on May 29 are believed to be of sufficient
importance to warrant your personal attention and action. In this
meeting held in the most amicable spirit the following was expressed
by the Chinese Commissioners with unanimous agreement on each
statement. It was agreed that the directives issued by the Committee
of Three and by Executive Headquarters accomplished over a period of
time a comparatively satisfactory military truce, but that these
directives were not being obeyed by all field commanders. It was
agreed that this state of affairs had caused a lowering of morale
among the Chinese people and had greatly undermined the prestige of
Executive Headquarters and its Field Teams. It was agreed that the
spirit of negotiation and the sincere desire of improvement of the
overall situation exhibited among the Commissioners and staff of
Executive Headquarters must be disseminated to commanders in the
field and that they must be reapprised of their responsibilities in
carrying out agreed directives of the Committee of Three and the
Executive Headquarters. It was further agreed that the success or
failure of the Agreements signed by you in January now depended
solely upon whether these commanders carry out the directives which
have already been issued.
In an effort to establish the necessary conviction for peace and
insure that conditions of conflict and activities against peace be
stopped immediately, the Three Commissioners respectfully request
that the following message be dispatched to all commanders of your
respective forces and that you grant authority for its dispatch to
all Field Teams for their information. It is further requested that
[Page 933]
you grant authority
for wide dissemination to the public in a simultaneous release at
Nanking, Yenan and Peiping. Recommended message follows:
“Agreement reached between the National Government of China
and the Chinese Communist Party on January 10, 1946, was
reached with their hope and the hope of the people of China
that this agreement would bring a lasting peace and pave the
way for the reconstruction of a new China. In an effort to
insure the success of this agreement, the Executive
Headquarters, composed of members of the National
Government, the Chinese Communist Party and representatives
of the United States was formed and delegated authority by
the highest level of the National Government and the
Communist Party in China. The basic directives toward peace
and reconstruction reached by the Committee of Three and by
Executive Headquarters and its Field Teams have been
sufficient and satisfactory to permit the accomplishment of
the desired results. Regardless of this fact, military
conflict and other activities against peace still exist in
China. These conditions must be corrected quickly or the
peace of China may be prejudiced beyond repair. You will,
therefore, cause all hostilities of any nature or size
including military conflicts, destruction of lines of
communications and blockade to be terminated without delay
in the area of your responsibility. You will take action to
permit and facilitate free passage of civilian travel, food
stuffs and merchandise. The building of fortifications and
military works and destruction and blockade of lines of
communication must cease. The Committee of Three and
Executive Headquarters with its organization of field teams
has my full confidence and you must carry out without
question the unanimous decisions reached by these agencies.
There must be no interference with the activities of field
teams of Executive Headquarters and their work must be
facilitated in every possible way. For the good of China you
must establish liaison between opposite forces and promote a
spirit of understanding between opposite commanders of all
levels. The bitterness that you may feel due to past
incidents must now be forgotten. The success or failure of
peace of China is of tremendous importance to this country
as a whole and all field commanders are hereby ordered to
carry out this order. An identical message is being sent by
(Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek or Chairman Mao Tse-tung) to
all field commanders of the (National Government or
Communist Party) forces. Signed (Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-shek or Chairman Mao Tse-tung).[”]
