893.70/70
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 15.]
Sir: As of probable interest to the Department, I have the honor to enclose copies of a confidential report76 made available to the Embassy by the Central Publicity Board of the Kuomintang purporting to show the extent of the construction by the Japanese of railways, highways and waterways in certain areas of north China since the withdrawal of National Government forces and the accession to control by Chinese communist forces of the hinterland.
The principal object of the report would seem to be to lend support to the oft-made assertion that the Chinese communists have in the past year and more exerted themselves very little in resisting Japanese military or other activities in north China. Bearing in mind consular reports submitted from time to time and observations made by foreign travelers occasionally passing through Chungking from north China, it would seem that there is a considerable measure of truth in the claim that the Japanese have been able to construct the lines of communications enumerated in the enclosed report. It would also seem that the Chinese communists do in fact control a large portion of the north China hinterland through which these lines of communication run; and it might be said that they likewise dominate a major share of the country through which the chief trunk lines such as the Pinghan, the Tsinpu and the Chengtai pass with only infrequent interference reported on the part of the Chinese communist forces. In extenuation of the alleged inactivity of the Chinese communists toward the free flow of Japanese communications through the communist-dominated areas, however, it might be related that the communist forces are said to be woefully short of arms and demolition equipment and that they are reluctant even where possible to resort to large-scale destruction [Page 496] of communications because they know from experience that such activity tends to bring down the unrestrained wrath of the Japanese Army on the people who are so unfortunate as to live in the area where the depredation takes place.
It is possible that the Embassy at Peiping and the concerned consular offices in north China may be in a position to check the data contained in the enclosure to this report to ascertain whether the lines of communication enumerated have actually been constructed and are now in operation.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed; in this report announcement was made of the completion by the Japanese of railways totaling 425 kilometers, trunk highways totaling 4409 kilometers, and several waterways.↩