Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East: China, Volume IX

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Draft of Directive To Be Issued by the Committee of Three⁷⁶

undated

To the Commissioners from the Committee of Three:

An agreement for the complete termination of hostilities in Manchuria has been signed and issued by the Committee of Three this date. The following instructions are issued for the purpose of assisting field teams in effecting a uniform application of the terms of the agreement regarding troops found in close contact or actually engaged in combat:

In general there will be four cases confronting the field teams:

1. Where troops of one side are in a city or town and the troops of the other side are outside that city or town. In this case the forces outside the city will be required to withdraw for a prescribed distance.

2. Where troops control a railroad but the points of close contact with an opposing force is within 30 li of that railroad. In this case the opposing troops will be required to withdraw from the point of contact a prescribed distance. In cases of close contact at greater than 30 lis distance from the railroad both sides will be required to withdraw (the troops controlling the railroad the lesser distance) except that troops controlling the railroad will not be required to withdraw closer to the railroad than 30 li.

3. Where the line separating the hostile troops crosses a railroad or river. In this case the opposing forces will be required to withdraw along the railroad or river for a prescribed distance.

4. Where the opposing forces are in close contact or actually engaged in fighting in open country. In such cases the opposing forces will both be required to withdraw a prescribed distance.

Normally a distance of 20 li between the opposing factions should be secured by the withdrawal of one or both forces.

76. Proposed by General Chou En-lai to the Committee of Three on June 24, but tabled for further study.