Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and General Tu Ta Wei37 at Nanking, August 13, 1946, 9:30 a.m.
| Also present: | Colonel Caughey |
General Yu handed General Marshall a statement prepared by the Generalissimo which the Generalissimo desired to be issued to the Press not earlier than 3:00 p.m. this date for publication not earlier than 8:00 a.m. 14 August 1946.38 General Yu stated that the Generalissimo would like to get General Marshall’s reaction to the statement.
After reading the statement General Marshall said that the statement was obviously for foreign consumption and pointed out to General Yu that the Communists most likely would pick up and use for propaganda purposes two points in the release i. e.–1) The fact that [Page 23] the Generalissimo was in favor of promulgating the PCC39 resolutions—a matter which the Communists have been insisting on ever since announcement of the PCC resolutions. 2) The fact that the Generalissimo stated that the Communists should withdraw from certain specified areas since their forces are a disturbing influence to the people in those areas—a matter which the Communists would protest because the Communists maintain that a Communist regime in those areas is openly welcomed by the people within the area.
General Marshall told General Yu that he (General Yu) could tell the Generalissimo that the statements regarding the PCC would be welcomed by Communists and others, but there were portions that would arouse strong opposition. It appeared that there was insufficient time to alter those portions.
General Yu produced a map showing the situation along the Lung-hai Eailroad. General Yu said that Communist forces were attacking all along the Lunghai railroad. General Yu continued by stating that it seems to be a strange thing that the Communists publicly state they desire peace and yet are engaging in offensive operations throughout North China. General Marshall replied that the National forces had initiated active operations at various points in North China and the Communists were retaliating.
- Chinese Minister of Communications and liaison officer for President Chiang Kai-shek with General Marshall.↩
- Statement was issued on anniversary of Japanese surrender; for English summary, see Department of State, United States Relations With China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949), p. 649.↩
- Political Consultative Council.↩