121.893/2–1946: Telegram
General Marshall to President Truman
[205] Dear Mr. President: Regarding the unification of Chinese Armies, after numerous individual conferences with General Chang Chih Chung and with General Chou En-lai there have followed four formal conferences, one just concluded this evening.9 I can now report that an agreement has been reached on practically all of the critical issues of my plan for the demobilization, reorganization and integration of the military forces. I am hopeful that a full committee agreement will be reached within the next few days and that the final approval can be secured from the Generalissimo and Mao Tse-Tung. When this is done I will endeavor to have a joint press release issued outlining in full the fundanmental principles agreed upon.
There will then remain for preparation, and approval on a joint basis, the numerous details involved in the demobilization of some 250 divisions, the reduction of the total military forces to 60 divisions, the actual integration of Communist and National Army Forces, the set up of an [entirely new] and a democratic system of command and control in time of peace, in divorcing military commanders and armies from control over the civil population. The Executive Headquarters, now in action in Peking, will be the agency utilized to carry out these measures. The details also will have to be formally approved. They will then be sent to the Executive Headquarters in Peking for execution.
I have assembled a small very special staff of American officers from Shanghai and Chungking who are working on these detailed plans. It is a most difficult and intricate staff job, in many respects without precedents for guidance. When the approved procedure is sent to Peking, I will transfer this small staff there as an additional section of the Executive Headquarters. Incidentally, that headquarters is the first step beyond our Chungking committee of three in obtaining a homogeneous military establishment. Its purpose when first proposed by me was neither understood or appreciated by the Chinese. However, having quickly demonstrated by operation that it provided the only method practical for terminating the actual fighting over a tremendous area with all the bitterness and feuds and misunderstandings of such a fratricidal struggle, it is now being recognized as the logical medium for carrying through to completion all plans and procedures for the unification of the military forces. The framework of the staff consists of Americans and the operating procedure [Page 261] is directed by Brigadier General Byroade as executive. Once the combined policy has been agreed upon the 21 teams of three representatives each sent into the field give effect to the policies and are gradually in one respect and rapidly from another point of view, bringing the opposing military forces and the general populace to an understanding of the beneficent purpose of the Executive Headquarters. The reception of the American officer on each of these teams by the civilian communities is one of tumultuous acclaim and almost overwhelming expressions of gratitude. He seems to represent their one hope for the return of peace and security. We have only had one really disagreeable incident and that developed out of a starved people clamoring for supplies then available in the railroad yards, and also clamoring for justice against puppet officials whom they accused of murder, brutality and raping. The incident was well handled, I believed, by our representative and the situation has now been regularized.
As soon as the detailed plans have been agreed upon here in Chungking I plan to start on a trip through the troubled areas in company with Communist Chou En-lai and the National Government representative General Chang Chi Chung. We are to visit the Executive Headquarters and are to meet the principal Army leaders in various localities so that they may have a demonstration in our appearance of the cooperation and reorganization we represent, also, so that their leaders accompanying me can explain to their people direct the why and wherefore of most of our decisions. I hope this procedure will promote confidence and a better spirit of understanding, although I suppose there will be some rough moments since most of the high members are not only bitter partisans but will be losing their jobs in the process of reorganization we are proposing.10
I am sending Chou En-lai to Communist Headquarters at Yenan this morning by American plane to reach a decision regarding final issue remaining in debate on unification of armies. The Generalissimo has been away a week first endeavoring to bring the members of his party around to a full acceptance of the PCC resolutions. He is now in Nanking endeavoring to line up his generals to accept the terms for the unification of the armies. He is in an extremely difficult position struggling with the ultra conservative and determined wing of each group, many if not most of whom will lose position and income all or in part by the changes proposed. I hope for the successful outcome of his efforts and especially hope that I will not be compelled to move in more or less in the open to intervene in this phase of the [Page 262] matter. The conservative political and military are naturally rather bitter against me. I have avoided public statements in order not to give them an opening.
Faithfully yours,