Office of the Historian

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram

Mr. Walter S. Robertson to General Marshall

Peiping, 12 August 1946.

6827. There has been no opposition on part of either American or National Govt representatives to adopting a program of procedure, re your 1303.32 On contrary, Communist representative rejected program offered by American and approved by Natl Govt representative and has insisted that unless the procedure proposed by him was adopted the team could take no action. For 9 days he has completely succeeded in accomplishing his purpose.

I do not agree that original Communist proposal was either reasonable or consistent with situation. It included provision that team must agree in advance that no witness could be heard unless such witness was unanimously approved by the team as being a proper one. This provision considered in connection with Communist representative’s assertions at various times at team meetings that

(1)
No civilian could be allowed to testify as this was a military matter.
(2)
That no American could be allowed to testify because he would be prejudiced.
(3)
That no member of convoy could testify for same reason, would seem to indicate drift of his thinking in plotting a complete deadlock.

There is no opposition in American Branch to rotating chairmanship. Question has not been pressed by Communists. We readily agree to such an arrangement.

[Page 22]

Chou En Lai’s intimation to you that “opportunity for Communist witnesses was not being accorded” is pure bunk. His fear “that to initiate investigation with testimony of American eye witnesses was calculated to prejudice public opinion at the start and would result in immediate propaganda” comes with poor grace from a member of his party which daily is engaging in the most distorted and vicious propaganda while delaying as long as possible all progress of an investigation which might counteract it. In comparison with General Huang,33 Huey Long34 was an amateur. Huang makes 2–hour speeches and pretends to be grossly insulted if the Chairman attempts to interrupt him. He addresses Davis neither as Chairman of the Meeting nor by his military title but shakes his finger at him calling him “you” but using “ni” instead of the polite “nin”.

Referring to your 1305,35 Davis has made no statement to outsiders. The press attends team meetings and all statements attributed to him result therefrom. Incidently, Davis is being subjected to the most ruthless and viciously unjust propaganda. I suggest that you reserve judgment concerning him until I can give you the whole story in person. Am leaving for Nanking tomorrow to arrive late afternoon. ETA36 later.

  1. August 12, p. 20.↩
  2. Maj. Gen. Huang Yi-feng was senior Communist member of Team 25.↩
  3. Late Senator from Louisiana.↩
  4. Telegram of August 12, not printed: in it General Marshall inquired about “frequent press reports” alleging statements made by Colonel Davis, American member of Team 25, and disapproved these.↩
  5. Estimated time of arrival.↩