Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
Mr. Walter S. Robertson and Colonel Henry A. Byroade to General Marshall
17. It is obvious that General Yeh does not want teams sent either to Chihfeng or Kalgan. We opened conference today with statement that it was imperative that sufficient personnel be provided for immediate dispatch of teams to Chihfeng, Kalgan and Tsinan. General Cheng agreed and said he was ready. General Yeh offered objections on ground he had no representatives to send. About this time we were informed from the airfield that our plane which had been sent to Kalgan at Yeh’s request for the expressed purpose of bringing [Page 363] back team representatives had landed with 14 Communist representatives aboard. General Yeh then agreed but suggested it might not be safe for our plane to land at Chihfeng. We talked him out of this position by reminding him that our reconnaissance plane had established radio contact with pilot of first plane interned there who reported that Russians would welcome landing of representatives. Yeh then agreed on Chihfeng but stated there was no necessity of sending a team to Kalgan as there was no trouble in that area. This was surprising as Chou En-lai in Chungking had suggested these two locations. At General Yeh’s insistence General Cheng agreed to a third location, Chining (west of Kalgan on railway) to replace Kalgan tomorrow but we held out for definite schedule to Kalgan on next day January 18. General Yeh reluctantly agreed.
We are now informed by officer who made Kalgan trip that the party of Communists landed here on our plane this afternoon consisted of 1 General and 13 bodyguards for General Yeh. In addition much of cargo loaded on plane consisted of propaganda leaflets for distribution in Peiping.
It therefore appears that Communists may not be able to furnish but one representative for three teams scheduled to leave here tomorrow morning for Chihfeng, Tsinan, and Chining, respectively. Will report further tomorrow.
We have received approximately same number of reports concerning cease fire violations from both sides. General Cheng seems anxious to send teams to all areas affected. All delay so far has been due to General Yeh’s failure to furnish representatives.