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

Marshall Mission Files: Lot 54–D270

Memorandum by Colonel J. Hart Caughey to General Marshall

[Nanking,] 10 July 1946.

Colonel Hodgskin and Lieutenant Colonel White³ came in at about 2:30 with the following statement and recommendation. The main Communist strength which broke out of the Hankow pocket appears to be in the vicinity of Tsaowang and Sui-hsien.

In order to contact the commanders of these forces, preferably General Li, Colonel Hodgskin recommends that two teams (Team No. 32 and a sub-team of Team No. 9, together with necessary light radio equipment) go by air to Laohokow or Hsiangyang, where there are reported landing fields, with the object of establishing a field headquarters. From this field headquarters the two teams would proceed, one to the vicinity of Tsaowang and the other to the vicinity of Sui-hsien, for the purpose of contacting the forces and attempting to arrive at some sort of agreement to stop further advances.

In this connection Colonel Hodgskin asked me how they should proceed with reference to any agreement reached. I recommended that an interim arrangement be reached pending final settlement (this is the same sort of instructions previously given to General Clement in Shantung province and approved by you). I believe this is the appropriate course of action in this case also since,

1. General Li could hardly be expected to retrace his steps into the Hankow pocket, and

2. So far the National Government has obstructed Communist recommendations to move Communist forces north.

Colonel Hodgskin stated that if they could contact the forces and if they could get General Li to halt his northern advance that team action in the rear of the Communist would preclude pursuit on the part of the Nationalist forces. He added, however, that he did not believe the Nationalist forces would pursue the Communist forces but rather intended to let the Communists walk into a wall of National resistance further northward.

Colonel Hodgskin believed there would be no difficulty among team members for this relocation. He further stated that Executive Headquarters would have no objection since the localities to be visited are in the areas already assigned to the two teams, and besides there would remain at Hankow the heavy radio station for adequate communication. There are two elements that require further exploration,

1. Approval from General McConnell⁴ to let Colonel Graves, Air Force Liaison Officer at Hankow, fly the teams in (there will be no difficulty in this respect), and

2. Obtain National Government clearance for the teams to land at either Laohokow or Hsiangyang (Colonel Hodgskin believes he can get this clearance from the local commander and if not will refer the matter to you).

Colonel Hodgskin’s alternate recommendation is to move the teams up against the Yellow River in the vicinity possibly of Loyang and Lingpao. This recommendation, however, is to be adopted only in the event you disapprove their primary recommendation or they are unsuccessful in halting the northward advance from locations selected in the primary recommendation. In the event this alternate recommendation is resorted to Colonel Hodgskin believes it will be necessary for him and Colonel White to proceed first to Peiping for instructions and then to the vicinity of Anyang or Hsin-Hsiang, where teams 19 and 10, respectively, are located in order to become familiar with the local situation.⁵

J. H[art] C[aughey]

3. Howell L. Hodgskin and Van R. White, American members of field teams operating north of Hankow.
4. Maj. Gen. John P. McConnell, Commanding General, Air Division, Nanking Headquarters Command.
5. General Marshall approved the primary recommendation.