893.01 Manchuria/621
The Consul General at Mukden (Myers) to the Minister in China (Johnson)95
Sir: Referring to my telegrams dated October 4, 3 p.m., 11, 5 p.m. and 14, 5 p.m.,96 concerning the large scale military operations against bandits and insurgents in the Tung Pien area or eastern border districts, I have the honor to submit additional information in regard to this drive and to existing conditions in that region.
Preparations for this drive were kept as secret as possible and press correspondents were informed that a close censorship of their reports on this subject would be enforced. During the latter part of September large bodies of Japanese troops were brought southward from the Harbin district and distributed at various points along the Mukden-Hailung and Mukden-Antung lines, from which the drive started. [Page 306] Troops were also moved into Manchuria from Korea or Japan over the Mukden-Antung Railway. One traveller over this line reported that he saw four military trains on October 3 loaded with troops, horses and supplies moving in the direction of Mukden. According to information obtained by one observer 5000 new troops were recently moved from Japan to Manchuria. The Toyobashi cavalry brigade (part of 3rd Division) is one of the new units but the others have not been identified. The despatch of replacements for the 14th Division which has returned to Japan, or at least part of it, was announced by Tokyo as was the withdrawal of the 38th Mixed Brigade from Manchuria to its home station in Korea. Local Headquarters have been unwilling to give out any information regarding the disposition or movement of troops. To what extent the Japanese forces in Manchuria have been increased or decreased is not known; however, it is surmised that in view of the repeated statements of military authorities that the strength of their forces is inadequate no reduction has occurred.
The strength of the Japanese forces engaged in these operations is not known. From a reliable source, however, it was learned that they comprised three brigades, two of cavalry and one of infantry and that Manchoukuo troops (General Yü Chih-shan’s command) are cooperating with them. The strength of these Japanese forces including the Korean garrison troops which are holding all roads and mountain passes near the Yalu river must, it is thought, considerably exceed three brigades.
According to the plan of campaign troops were despatched over all roads from points on the Mukden-Hailung and Mukden-Antung railways between Chaoyangchen on the north and Antung on the south. On October 7 the commandeering of Chinese carts on a large scale started at Mukden. The first encounter with insurgents was reported to have occurred on October 8, Hsinpin occupied on October 13 and T’unghua, the principal stronghold of the insurgents, on October 15, the latter place having been evacuated by T’ang Chu-wu and his insurgents on the previous day. The occupation of this place was effected by the main part of the Takanami detachment which had come from the northwest, presumably from Shanchengtzu, the main concentration point in that region. Pataokiang, a large town to the northeast of T’unghua, was occupied a few days earlier by a detachment despatched from Linkiang on the Korean border. It will be seen that in one week’s time the principal towns and cities of this region containing fourteen districts having an area of approximately 17,000 square miles were occupied. Apparently there have been only minor encounters. That bandits have gotten through the lines of the Japanese drive and are attacking in the rear is indicated by the unfortunate [Page 307] death of an American citizen on October 15 who was reported to have been killed by bandits while travelling with a small Japanese escort. To what extent the obvious aim of the Japanese campaign of driving the insurgents, Big Swords and bandits into a pocket and annihilating them will be successful is not yet apparent. It need scarcely be mentioned that airplanes are being extensively used by the Japanese in these as in all other operations.
Conditions in this area have been reported upon from time to time notably in my despatches Nos. 610, 630 and 662 of June 23, July 16 and September 23, 1932 (last named being the political review for August).97 T’ang Chu-wu, formerly colonel of the first regiment of the Fengtien Army at Mukden, who is between 45 and 50 years old, had established himself as the chief military figure in these districts in which a fair degree of order was maintained. The forces that he controlled numbered, according to available information, about 40,000 men including Big Swords. Very few of the latter are armed with rifles, long spears comprising their regular equipment. Of the insurgents no inconsiderable portion is unarmed. The Japanese estimate of 20,000 insurgents and 10,000 Big Swords probably represents the total armed strength of his forces. It is understood that they have little ammunition and that their main source of supply of both arms and ammunition has been the Manchoukuo troops. It is extremely improbable that they have received such supplies from Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang as Japanese Headquarters recently alleged—possibly they have been provided with some funds. T’ang maintained a small arsenal and a military school near T’unghua and controlled the district governments in many of these districts.
The Japanese plan by this well-organized and extensive campaign to eradicate banditry in this region and establish therein the authority of Manchoukuo. Semi-permanent Japanese headquarters are to be established at T’unghua and small garrisons of Japanese soldiers are to be located for the time being at all important points. The occupation which is obviously the first stage in the campaign has, according to the reports, been in a large measure already accomplished. The suppression of banditry is likely to be a long drawn out affair and a harsh process, during which it is possible that more non-combatants will perish than actual combatants.
There is no doubt that banditry has become a very serious menace to the Japanese as a host of incidents bear witness. The suspension of traffic on the Mukden-Hailung Railway for over a month and the daring and fairly successful raids on Mukden and Fushun and the attacks on Penhsihu and other points on the Mukden-Antung Railway [Page 308] are attributed to the insurgents, Big Swords, or bandits of that region. According to the spokesman of Japanese Headquarters they have been committing atrocities of all kinds against Koreans, of whom there are about 170,000 in these districts. That many Koreans have been oppressed there can be no doubt but that the major portion of the Korean population has been able to pursue their vocations also seems true.
There is enclosed herewith a copy of a printed leaflet98 addressed to the foreign residents in the Tung Pien districts, copies of which were dropped from Japanese airplanes while flying over the cities in which foreigners reside. A list of the American residents of this area who are located at Hsinpin, T’unghua and Erhpatan near Shanchengtzu was supplied to Army Headquarters through the Japanese Consulate General a number of days before the drive commenced.
In this connection it may be of interest to make brief reference to conditions in this area during the Russian military occupation of Manchuria following the Boxer uprising in 1900. According to the statement of a reliable Russian who took part in that occupation similar conditions prevailed in the eastern districts at that time but on a smaller scale. The Russians were obliged to send an expeditionary force into that region which, my informant claims, treated the insurgents leniently. The better type was recruited as soldiers or organized into local defense corps while the others were disarmed and given a few dollars each. The Russians, it was stated, interfered very little in the actual administration of government which was left entirely in Chinese hands, Russian advisers only being attached to the more important offices for the purpose of keeping in touch with Government activities and safeguarding military interests. Such a state of affairs is in marked contrast to that existing in Manchuria today.
Respectfully yours,