894A.20/11–1149: Telegram
The Consul General at Taipei (Macdonald) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 11—6:43 a. m.]
692. Yesterday General Sun Li-jen told Assistant Military Attaché Captain Manning and me that he is not yet receiving sufficient cooperation and authority-from Governor Chen and his southeast military and political headquarters to execute properly his responsibilities as defense commander of Taiwan. For example, he does not have authority to remove inefficient officers without permission from southeast military headquarters. Some of the officers he is forced to keep are insubordinate and worthless which weakens his entire organization. With regard to supplies, he stated that in most oases he gets seconds while first-class material is given to other commanders. He is concerned [Page 423] over his soldiers’ pay and emphasized urgent necessity for obtaining funds from some source in order pay soldiers their salaries when due them. He also referred to lack of sufficient equipment and blankets for his troops but it is our belief that plenty of such equipment is on the island for his men. Victories on Kinmen and Tinghai, according to Sun, have given some of the top ranking generals and officials here swelled heads, which he views as dangerous from standpoint of minimizing danger facing this island and its present un-preparedness to withstand full-scale attack.
On favorable side, however, General Sun reported that coastal defenses are now under construction and a series of pill boxes should be completed by end December at latest and possibly by middle December. He has cement and other material necessary for their construction in his possession. About 2 months ago he complained to me bitterly that he had asked for this equipment but had been turned down by General Chen.
Sun also reported progress he had made with Commissioner of Finance, C. K. Yen, in having funds released for repairing highways for military defense.
Although General Sun is still faced with many difficulties and encounters serious obstacles in his defense program from old-line generals with considerable influence, he has and is making progress and the entire situation as far as defense of the island is concerned may be said to be more encouraging now than 2 months ago.