893.00/1–1846: Telegram
Mr. Walter S. Robertson to the Secretary of State
[Received January 21—7:40 p.m.]
1. Today United States planes are taking two teams for the purpose of keeping executive headquarters informed. Each team is composed of one Communist Party, one Central Government and one American representative in addition to U.S. communications personnel and they have been sent to the following places where fighting was reported: Chihfeng (omission). On the morning of 14 January, the executive headquarters three commissioners made a call on Marshal Li Tsung-jen who is the director of the Generalissimo’s Peiping field headquarters and discussed a plan to send as soon as possible the team to Chihfeng. It was stated here by Communist representatives that the airfield at Chihfeng had been destroyed by the Communists but there was no data regarding that airfield at executive headquarters.
On the afternoon of 14 January a reconnaissance plane of the U.S. Marines was sent to Chihfeng but it did not return. The following day another U.S. plane was sent in that direction with leaflets and the pilot reported upon his return that he had made contact by radio with the missing plane’s pilot who stated that he was being detained by the Russian CO at Chihfeng. The leaflets gave the details of the cease-fire order that was issued last week at Chungking and which contained the endorsements of the three commissioners and requested that markers be displayed that would indicate the airfield’s condition [Page 366] and also gave details regarding the arrival of the team by plane. On 15 January a U.S. plane that was over Chihfeng made radio contact with the detained pilot who stated that the Russian commander had given his assurance that he would not detain the plane bringing the team and also that the commander now approved of his landing. According to Robertson’s message number 1, 17 January,91 the original delay in sending teams resulted from failure of the Communists to provide personnel and from the inability to determine the conditions of the Chihfeng airfield.
On the afternoon of 16 January, the return from Kalgan of a U.S. plane provided Communist personnel for the participation of two teams that were sent today to the places named above. On 15 and 16 January and before sending teams, Marines planes dropped leaflets that bore the cease-fire order from Chungking in the name of the Generalissimo and the three commissioners. These leaflets were dropped at points in or along the Tsinpu Railway near Shantung and at points West and East of it at South Hopei points and at Jehol. Conflicts have been reported at the above places. The Central Government’s side had earlier reported conflicts to executive headquarters and blamed the Communists. The Communists indicated that their failure to receive these reports was due to the lack of radio communications. On the afternoon of 16 January at a meeting at executive headquarters the Communists gave the first reports of a conflict in East Hopei and in Central Kiangsu and they blamed the Central Government for this. After these reports were received an effort was made as soon as possible to send teams. It has been noted that there is a good spirit of cooperation and it is doubted that these reported [omission]. Because of inadequate communications on both the Central Government and Communist side, such conflicts are considered to be inevitable. Representatives of the Central Government have been very cooperative and the major delays up to this time are due to the lack of personnel on the part of the Communists.