Office of the Historian

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270

Redraft of Suggested Statement for Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek56

undated

A continuation of the present political and military situation in China will be destructive of the interest of a long suffering people. It will render impossible the unification of our country and will threaten the peace of the world. Therefore, it is necessary that an early solution be found to the present conflict and that peace be restored to the land. But as the responsible head of the Government of China, I must see that the necessary measures are taken to safeguard the security of the nation, since we are dealing with a political party which maintains a large army to support its political policies.

In the past three months, I have stipulated certain conditions that must be met by the Communist Party before a peaceful accord could be achieved and to which they have thus far refused to agree. They demanded an immediate meeting of the Committee of Three of which General Marshall is the chairman. That committee reached an impasse in its negotiations the latter part of June and unless there are certain preliminary but vital agreements or understandings, a meeting of the committee would not only be ineffective, but its future usefulness [Page 368] would be fatally impaired. I have insisted that the proposed group of five men under the chairmanship of the United States Ambassador, Dr. Stuart, selected to reach an understanding between the Government and the Communist Party for the establishment of the coalition State Council should first meet as an evidence of the good intent of both the Government and the Communist Party towards the reorganization of the government in accordance with the resolutions of the Peoples Consultative Council.57 With this reassurance of good faith on both sides, there would be a new basis of trust for the termination of the hostilities now disrupting China. I have further stated that concurrent with the termination of hostilities, the Communist Party should indicate its honest intention to cooperate in the reorganization of the government by announcing its delegates to the National Assembly to meet on November 12 to determine on a democratic constitution for the Government of China.

In view of the seriousness of the situation, the misunderstandings and public confusion, and the distrust and suspicions unfortunately prevalent, I now make the following public announcement of the conditions under which the government is prepared to act to secure an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The Five Man Committee under the chairmanship of Doctor Stuart to meet immediately and at the same time, the Committee of Three under the chairmanship of General Marshall, with the following understandings:

(a)
The opposing troops in close contact be separated in accordance with the procedures tentatively reached by the Committee of Three in June for Manchuria.58
(b)
The restoration of communications to be immediately resumed in accordance with the agreement tentatively reached by the Committee of Three last June.59
(c)
The method for settling disagreements among the team members of Executive Headquarters and Commissioners at Executive Headquarters to be in accordance with the agreement tentatively reached by the Committee of Three last June.60
(d)
The tentative agreement reached last June by the Committee of Three for the redisposition of troops in Manchuria61 to be confirmed.
(e)
The government troops north of the Yangtze to continue in occupation of localities now under their control until the agreement by the Committee of Three is reached for the redistribution, reorganization [Page 369] and demobilization of troops, Government and Communist alike for the unification of the armed forces in China.
(f)
Whatever understanding is reached by the Five Man Committee headed by Dr. Stuart, it is to be confirmed by the Steering Committee of the PCC without delay.
(g)
Questions of local government to be settled by the newly organized State Council.
(h)
The Constitutional Draft Committee to be convened immediately and the agreed draft to be submitted to the National Assembly as the basis for its action.
(i)
Concurrent with the cessation of hostilities which is to be effected immediately following the agreement of the Communist Party to the foregoing procedure, that party is to announce its intention of participating in the National Assembly by publishing its lists of delegates thereto.

  1. Prepared by General Marshall and approved by Ambassador Stuart on October 14.↩
  2. For correspondence, see vol. ix, pp. 131 ff.; for texts of resolutions, see Department of State, United States Relations With China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949), pp. 610–621.↩
  3. Approved on June 24, vol. ix, p. 1186.↩
  4. Approved on June 24, ibid., p. 1187.↩
  5. Approved on June 24, ibid., p. 1189.↩
  6. See draft preliminary agreement of June 29, ibid., p. 1244.↩