Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
General Marshall to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Smith )
1163. Your message dated 29 June, 10 a.m.33a concerning repatriation of Japanese through port of Dairen was received. I appreciate your efforts in this matter. Four days later I received a letter from Ambassador Petrov here in Nanking setting forth the identical information which I promptly relayed to the info addresses34 of this message. I have been informed by Executive Headquarters that there are 364,000 Japanese reported south of Ta Shih Chiao along the Mukden–Dairen railroad distributed as follows: Dairen, 250,000; Port Arthur, 100,000; and on peninsula north of Port Arthur and Dairen proper, 14,000. The information which you passed to me specifies that repatriation of Japanese located beyond boundary of naval base area and Dairen should be handled through nearby Manchurian ports. This would take care of the 250,000 and 100,000 referred to above, but not the 14,000. The repatriation of the 14,000 would probably require a long journey to Hulutao via Mukden by rail, cart and foot which probably would be difficult through the already congested Port of Hulutao prior to the setting in of winter. I therefore suggest that you make representations to the Soviet military authorities with a view toward handling the total estimated 364,000 through the Port of Dairen.