Office of the Historian

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Memorandum by General Chou En-lai to General Marshall

Shanghai, July 16, 1946.

Dear General Marshall: After I arrived at Shanghai, I realize that the oppression of Chen Li-fu’s special service agents has been much more serious than I imagined in Nanking. By the personal order from the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, all the forces of the Kuomintang Party, Administration, and Army are available at the command of Chen Li-fu to suppress opposition forces. (The order has been shown to the authorities concerned).

The black list of names to be arrested, kidnapped, and assassinated, includes people of various quarters, mainly of the Democratic League.

The following has already taken place:

1.
The comparatively impartial Wen Hui Pao has been ordered for suspension for a week.
2.
The Ch’un Yi Publishing House, owned by the non-partisan delegate to the PCC, Mr. Kuo Mo-jo, has been searched. The reason was because Communist Tung Pi-wu had gone there once.
3.
The Hua Hsia Bookstore has been searched because it sold democratic and communist publications.
4.
Two newspaper reporters are suspected as Communist reporters.
5.
The black lists which includes about one hundred names will be effective within two or three days. Arrests, kidnaps and assassination will be employed.
6.
My staff’s and my residences in Shanghai at 107 and 117 Rue Massenet; the Communist Hsin Hua Jih Pao Office and Dormitory at Room 201, House 589 Bubblingwell Road, No. 1, Yung Hsiang Terrace, Tung Tai Road and Room 11, House 25, Chu Pao San Road are under the close watch of the special service agents. Visitors to the above places are trailed. Those who read our news releases are under warning.

The seriousness of the situation compels me to contemplate on the problem of how to protect the security of these people’s lives; and to raise the issue at the Committee on the protection of human rights of the United Nations Organization.

I should like to bring this matter before your attention and for [Page 1363] your reference in your conference with the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

Your comment on the subject will be appreciated.24

[Signature in Chinese]
(
Chou En-lai
)
  1. Notation on original: “Discussed with Dr. Stuart and Mr. Butterworth 19 July”. Dr. Stuart was the appointed Ambassador, Mr. W. Walton Butterworth was Minister-Counselor.↩