Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Memorandum by Colonel J. Hart Caughey to General Marshall

Subject: Brief of Hankow Situation.

Mr. Robertson’s 512792 states that all available information concerning Hankow is contained in Opsum’s 15, 17, 18, 19 and 23.

Opsum 15, 28 June

Hankow team 9 report 26 June. CCP93 reported conflict 13 miles northeast of Ho Kou Chen (60 miles north of Hankow). Team 32 ordered to investigate.

[Page 1328]

Opsum 17, 29 June

U. S. member team 32 report 28 June. CCP reported that NG94 troops have occupied Pi Pio and Pan Chun Wan, just north east of Hankow and that NG troops are moving from Hankow and from Loshan towards Hsuan Hwa Tien. CCP further reported that NG troops attacked at 4 points on 28 June. U. S. member believes conflict will occur in Hsin Yang–Loshan area (about 75 miles north of Hankow).

Opsum 18, 30 June

U. S. member team 9 report 29 June. CCP troops are moving from eastern section of the central plain military area and are concentrating in the Hsin Yang-Loshan area. CCP have withdrawn headquarters and troops from Hsien Hwa Tien leaving one brigade in that place. NG reported that no attacks had been made but that NG positions have been reinforced.

Opsum 19, 1 July

U. S. members teams 9 and 32 report 30 June. NG troops are attacking Hsuan Hwa Tien from north and east and south 29 June. Conflict has broken out in many places in central plains military area. United States member team 9 (senior team) stated that he believes that CCP will attempt to break out in the central plains military area through the Hsin Yang–Loshan area. General Wang, chief of staff Wuhan headquarters of the Generalissimo, stated in a conference that he had ordered NG troops not to attack except in case of CCP attempt to break through in the Hsin Yang–Loshan area. The CCP has withdrawn many troops from the eastern section of the central plains military area and has moved troops to the Hsin Yang–Loshan area. The United States member believes that the CCP are creating the whole situation and that while both sides have failed to notify the teams of their troop movements the CCP are the aggressors in the current situation. Team 32 evacuated from Hsuan Hua Tien 29 June to Hankow because the position in Hsuan Hua Tien was untenable.

Opsum 23, 6 July

U. S. members teams 9 and 32 report 3 July. Information was received that CCP General Li, Commanding General, Central Military Plains region, plans to break through to the north, and that he has issued instructions to troops that they are needed in the north and that they fear annihilation if they stay in the central military plains region and he advised the troops to make an attempt to break through even if half of them died in the attempt. All attempts to contact General Li have failed.

[Page 1329]

Comment: The CCP branch, Executive Headquarters, is attempting to contact General Li through Yenan. Teams 9 and 32 are investigating the report of conflict in the Hwayon–Hsin Yang areas.

J. H[art] C[aughey]
  1. July 8, p. 1323.
  2. Chinese Communist Party.
  3. Nationalist Government.