893.00/3–2247: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 22—2:55 a.m.]
630. Following Central News Agency release March 20:
“Military operations in this country would naturally come to an end if the Chinese Communists should choose to abandon their scheme for armed rebellion and terrorism as well as to alter their policies of destroying the people’s means of livelihood and thereby creating economic panics, General Chen Cheng, Chief of the General Staff, declared at a press conference this afternoon.
“General Chen predicted that after the fall of Yenan, Shantung and Shansi will probably be the main theaters of military operations.
“Asked by how many months or years will the recapture of Yenan shorten the civil war, General Chen replied that it is difficult to make an estimate of the time, but he added, it will certainly shorten the period of military operations with the Communists.
“General Chen asserted that if we really meant business in fighting, 3 months would be enough to crush the main strength of the Communists on all fronts but in the past, the General added, we talked but were forced to fight with the Communists at the same time, thus prolonging the military operations.
“Although we now regard the Communists as our ‘enemies’, General Chen said, we are giving the same treatment as Government forces to Communist troops who have come over to the Government side. During the past few months, more than 120,000 Communist officers and men have voluntarily surrendered to the Government side and most of them are still retaining their original ranks they enjoyed in the Communist army.
“Asked whether the Govt would treat Mao Tse-tung, Chu Teh, Chou En-lai and other Communist leaders as war prisoners if they were captured, the General said smilingly: ‘Now is the time of democracy; this question would be better referred to the people of the country for an answer.’
[Page 81]“The Chief of the General Staff admitted that it was the Government policy to attack and recapture the Communist political and military nerve center of Yenan since the Government has been forced to use armed forces to quell the Communist rebellion after the Communists boycotted all peace efforts and started widespread offensives against Government forces.
“After the Japanese surrender, General Chen recalled, the Government has been always eager to restore unity to the nation and embark on the peaceful reconstruction of the war-stricken country. Hence the convocation of the Political Consultation Conference and the organization of the Committee of Three on military affairs.
“But to the great disappointment of the Government, the Communists took this opportunity to expand their armed forces, occupy more territory, and strive to win political power by force, the General said. The Communists have boycotted peace negotiations, openly denounced the new constitution and all treaties by the National Government, mobilized all their military strength to attack Government troops on all fronts.
“Government troops started the offensive against Yenan on March 14 and recaptured the Communist capital at 10 o’clock yesterday morning. The Communists had employed over 3 divisions and 13 brigades of crack troops for the defense of their nerve center, but they could not withstand the onslaughts of only 5 divisions of Government forces for more than 5 days, clearly indicating that the fighting power of the Communist army was very low. Moreover, the main factor which had brought about the quick collapse of the Yenan defense is the fact that the Communists have lost the support of the people, General Chen pointed out, adding that once the Communists have lost the support of the people, they are not likely to make a stand anywhere in the country.”