893.00/5–2447
The Consul General at Mukden (Ward) to the Ambassador in China (Stuart)22
The Consul General has the honor to refer to his despatch No. 4 of May 23, 1947 on matters centering on the return of General Ma Chan-shan to Manchuria and especially to sections of that despatch concerning evidence that the morale of the Nationalist troops in Manchuria has been rapidly deteriorating and that the Nationalist military leaders are greatly concerned over the growing offensive power of the Chinese Communist forces and their constantly mounting numerical superiority resulting from their greater utilization of native recruits and from aid given them by underground native forces.
In this connection, there is quoted the following translation (by this office) of a very recent local press item, which, it is believed, speaks for itself sufficiently to require no comment:
“Lot-Drawing for Conscription Called Off Owing to Insufficient Attendance
“The Second-Term lot drawing by young men of conscription age was to take place yesterday at the auditorium of the Municipal Government, with Mayor Chin presiding. Out of 4,000 men called, only 82 reported, of whom 39 passed the final physical examination.
“The lot-drawing was called off and the 39 men were enlisted without drawing lots, in accordance with the Conscription Enforcement Law.” (Local Central News Agency despatch in Sino Soviet Daily, May 22, 1947).
This sad commentary on the public attitude toward participation in the war against the Communists is paralleled by fast accumulating testimony concerning the deterioration of morale in the ranks of the Nationalist armies. Such testimony comes from many sources, including [Page 145] Chinese of various types and callings and foreign observers; and information picked up casually by American and Chinese members of the staff of this office indicates that the low spirit of the Nationalist soldiers is a matter of wide public knowledge and discussion. General Ma’s testimony has already been reported in the Consulate General’s above cited despatch. Another noteworthy example of evidence of the state of affairs is the following:
Mr. S. Thistleton, Administrative Officer of the Northeast Regional Office of UNRRA,22a while traveling on the train from Changchun to Mukden a few days ago (just before the Communist attack on Changchun cut communications between the two cities), in the company of a correspondent of the London Times and other foreigners, noticed that several uniformed train attendants were unburdening themselves in loud voices and in no uncertain terms before a high ranking officer of the Chinese National Army. One of the members of Mr. Thistleton’s group, who understands Chinese well, listened to the conversation and discovered that the train attendants were freely and vehemently denouncing the National Government Army for the manner in which it treats its troops and declaring that the Communists treat their soldiers much more considerately.
It is only fair to state that there have been frequent reports from sources which include Catholic Missionaries living in the interior that desertions from the Communist forces are of common occurrence. However, the Consulate General has strong reason to believe that the general state of morale in the Communist ranks is nevertheless definitely superior to that of the Nationalist troops. Quarters in close contact with NECC agree that such is the case, and the very fact that the Communist Armies are constantly being increased by native recruits constitutes the best possible supporting evidence. Important factors contributing to the better morale of the Communist forces are: (1) the fact that the Communist Armies, being largely composed of native Northeasterners, are in the position of fighting for their native soil, whereas, the Nationalists, being mainly from intramural China, are in the demoralizing position of “foreigners” fighting far from home among populations alien and hostile to them; and (2) the greater comradeship, solidarity and spirit of common purpose which, as a general rule, appears to unite the Communist fighters of all ranks.