393.1163/1–2346
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
No. 1066
Chungking, January 23,
1946.
[Received February 18.]
Subject: Occupation of American Mission Property by Chinese
Troops.
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department
that following the end of the war in China the Embassy received an
increasing number of complaints from American mission organizations that
their property had been occupied by Chinese troops who refused to return the
property to its owners. There is enclosed a list of notes written by the
Embassy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting, on behalf of American
mission organizations, that Chinese troops be ordered to evacuate occupied
property. Although the Ministry was very cooperative in complying with the
Embassy’s requests, the number of complaints continued to increase.
Therefore, on December 27, 1945, the Embassy wrote to the Ministry (Note No.
85, a copy of which is enclosed) requesting that additional and more
comprehensive action be taken to prevent the occupation of American mission
property by Chinese troops, since once a property had been occupied, the
American owner inevitably encountered considerable delay and sometimes
property damage before the troops surrendered the premises. It was suggested
that general instructions to Chinese Army commanders and the issuance of
proclamations identifying American property would be helpful. The Ministry
replied in its note of January 15 (copy enclosed) stating that the
appropriate authorities have circulated instructions to the troops concerned
to vacate mission properties occupied by them but that they are unable to
comply with the Embassy’s suggestion that proclamations be issued in the
absence of information on the numbers and locations of mission properties in
China.
[Page 1367]
Since it would obviously be a formidable task to list all American mission
property in China, the Embassy has suggested to the Consulate General in
Shanghai the following alternative procedure. The Consulate General has been
asked to inform mission organizations, most of which have their headquarters
in Shanghai, that if they desire proclamations to be posted on their
property in order to protect it from occupation by Chinese troops, they
should supply the Consulate General with the name and address, in English
and Chinese, of the property in question. The Consulate General will then
forward the request to the Embassy which will transmit it to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and ask that the appropriate local authorities be instructed
to issue the proclamations. Although this is a somewhat cumbersome
procedure, it is believed that it offers a satisfactory solution to the
problem.
In most cases the Embassy has not been informed by the missions of the
results of its representations, but it is believed that they have generally
been effective since in only one or two instances has a mission appealed to
the Embassy a second time. The Consulate General in Shanghai informed the
Embassy on January 10 that the University of Shanghai premises had been
evacuated.
Another problem arising from the occupation of mission property by Chinese
Troops is the removal or destruction of furniture and equipment by these
troops. In one case reported in detail to the Embassy, the Bethesda Hospital
at Siangyang, Hupeh, claims to have lost property valued at approximately
$2,000 United States currency. This loss occurred in May and June of this
year during the occupation of the hospital by the Chinese Army. The Embassy
would appreciate being informed whether this claim and similar claims
submitted by American missionary organizations, should be presented to the
Chinese Government. Some property damage committed by Chinese troops
occurred during the war period but much of it apparently has taken place
since the end of the war, during the re-occupation of liberated
territories.
Respectfully yours,
For the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
Robert L. Smyth
[Enclosure 1]
Notes to Foreign Office Requesting Evacuation of
Chinese Troops From American Mission Property October, 1945–January,
1946
|
Note
|
Name of Institution
|
Location of Occupied Property
|
| 1. Unnumbered Oct. 8, 1945 |
Bethesda Hospital |
Siansrvansr. HuDeh |
| 2. No. 21, October 30, 1945 |
Christian and Missionary Alliance |
Changteh, Hupeh |
| 3. No. 25, November 2, 1945 |
Evangelical Lutheran Church |
Ichang, Hupeh |
| 4. No. 63, December 17, 1945 |
Reformed Church Mission |
Yuanling, Hunan |
| 5. No. 64, December 17, 1945 |
American Church Mission |
Ichang, Hupeh |
| 6. No. 81, December 27, 1945 |
American Baptist Board of Missions, (University of Shanghai)
Shanghai China Bible Seminary |
Shanghai |
| 7. No. 82, December 27, 1945 |
West China Conference of the Methodist Church |
Nanchang, Kiangsi |
| 8. No. 15, January 5, 1945 [1946] |
Reformed Church Mission, |
Yoyang, Hunan |
|
Margaret Williamson Hospital, |
Shanghai |
|
National Christian Council, |
|
|
American Church Mission, |
|
|
Foreign Mission Board of Southern Baptist Convention |
|
|
(Numerous properties in various parts of China. See lists
enclosed in Shanghai’s despatch No. 8, dated Dec. 28, 1945.1) |
|
[Enclosure 2]
The American Chargé (Robertson) to
the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Wang)
No. 85
Chungking, December 27,
1945.
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your
Excellency that since the end of hostilities with Japan the Embassy has
received an increasing number of reports from American missionary
organizations that their property in the recently liberated parts of
China has been occupied by Chinese troops. Bishop Ralph A. Ward of the
Methodist Mission recently made a month’s trip in the Yangtze Valley
inspecting mission stations at Kiukiang, Anking, Wuhu, Nanking,
Chinkiang, [Page 1369] and other places
and found many mission buildings occupied by Chinese troops. Mr. W. P.
Mills, Secretary of the National Christian Council of China writes that
much of the Protestant mission property in the liberated areas is now
occupied by Chinese Government troops or by Government agencies of one
sort of [or] another. This situation has made the
recovery by American mission organizations of their property in China
extremely difficult, and in many cases they have had to appeal to the
Embassy for help. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already aware of
numerous specific cases of this type which have been brought to is
attention in the following third person notes from this Embassy:
| Unnumbered |
October 8, 1945 |
| 21 |
October 30, 1945 |
| 25 |
November 2, 1945 |
| 63 |
December 17, 1945 |
| 64 |
December 17, 1945 |
| 81 |
December 27, 1945 |
| 82 |
December 27, 1945 |
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has always been extremely cooperative in
taking the necessary action to bring about the evacuation of Chinese
troops from American mission properties. However, in view of the
increasing frequency of these incidents it is felt that additional and
more comprehensive action by the Chinese Government is necessary to
prevent them from recurring. To take action only after a property has
been occupied results in great inconvenience to the mission
representatives who suffer long delays in repossessing and
rehabilitating their property in order to carry on their work in
China.
Although the specific measures to be taken can only be properly
determined by the Chinese Government, it is suggested that general
instructions to Army commanders ordering them to evacuate any American
property which they may now occupy and to refrain from occupying such
property in the future would be helpful. The Chinese Government may also
wish to issue proclamations which may be distributed to bona fide
American mission organizations for posting on their property in order to
assist Chinese troops in identifying it.
Please accept [etc.]
[Enclosure 3]
The Chinese Ministry for Foreign
Affairs to the American Embassy
[Chungking,] January 15, 1946.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the American
Embassy and has the honor to refer to the Embassy’s formal note no. 85
of December 27, 1945, stating that many American mission properties in
recently liberated areas of China have been occupied by [Page 1370] Chinese troops. The Embassy requested
that extensive measures be taken by the Chinese Government and that
proclamations be issued for posting at these mission properties in order
to make them easily recognizable to Chinese troops. The Ministry
referred the request to the appropriate authorities for consideration
and action, and addressed third person notes nos. Mei/35/382 and 384 on
January 11, 1946 to the Embassy2 for its information.
A reply has now been received from the appropriate authorities stating
that they have circulated an instruction to the troops concerned to
vacate the American mission properties occupied by them, but that they
are unable to issue proclamations in the absence of information
regarding the numbers of American churches at various places in China.
The reply suggested that the Embassy be requested to ascertain the
numbers and addresses of such churches in order that action may be taken
in the matter.
The Ministry has the honor to request that the Embassy investigate and
inform it of the numbers and addresses of American mission properties in
China, so that the appropriate authorities may be requested to consider
and act in the matter.
Seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of China
