Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
General Marshall to President Truman10
1100. Dear Mr. President: Since my last message there have been a series of meetings between the government group headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chou En Lai and associates. Meetings were unproductive and ceased last Saturday. I succeeded in having them renewed but the meetings still are unproductive. A final effort of this group to find a solution will be made tomorrow.
The issue to be decided before the government is willing to issue the already agreed upon instructions for formal complete termination of hostilities is the question of local governments in regions from which the Communist have agreed to evacuate their military forces. [Page 1349] The problem primarily involves (a) the handling of land taken from landlords, now refugees, some 1 to 8 years ago, redistributed to peasants, (b) the immediate treatment to be accorded to returning refugees, and (c) the character of the local militia to be maintained. The military phases have been pretty well settled. It is the related civil problems that now has me blocked.
I conferred with government member of Committee of Three this morning, also for 2 hours with Chou En Lai. This evening I spent an hour and a half with Generalissimo. Here is his present attitude:
When efforts to reach agreements are completely blocked it is well to wait awhile and usually a solution will be found. He assured me that his leaders in Manchuria would not resume aggressive fighting, that “he had them well in hand”. He felt that fighting in China would be isolated and sporadic and would not lead to general civil war. I had stated that a continuation of the present situation appeared impossible, that general fighting would surely develop and that I will soon have to call in American forces from the field. If such a procedure as he outlined is workable it is purely Chinese. But I suppose I will have to accept the possibilities and do my best to keep things in balance. Incidentally, in this precarious situation Doctor Leighton Stuart’s services would be of great assistance to me here in Nanking but I hesitate to bring him here from Peiping until his status is assured. Therefore I would be exceeding thankful for early Senate action to confirm him. Every hour counts. I do appreciate your acceptance of my proposal for his appointment.
- Copy transmitted on July 11 by the War Department to the Secretary of State.↩