Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
General Marshall to President Truman14
[1022] Dear Mr. President: At 9 tonight Saturday with the so-called truce terminating at noon tomorrow, negotiations have reached a stalemate. A representative of Generalissimo is to see me at 10 and I am apparently to see Generalissimo early tomorrow. But when we parted at 3 PM today there was so serious a difference between Government demands and Communist willingness to make further concessions that a final breakdown appeared inevitable. I saw Chou En Lai from 3:30 to 6:30 and got the possibility of a few minor concessions but no more. He is communicating with Yenan and I will see him tomorrow AM. There appears to be little prospect of important adjustments.
The principal disputed points concern the extent to which Kiangsu Province will be evacuated by the Communists and the Government demand for evacuation of Chengte capital of Jehol Province. Also Communist insistence that local governments and militia established by them in regions they had agreed to evacuate will be continued until political reorganization of the Government is effected. There are numbers of other details as to rapidity of evacuation, clearance of certain railroad lines, etc., which are in disagreement but these are minor matters in my opinion.
Communists are urgently demanding assurance of formal cessation of hostilities order, the terms of which have been agreed upon, but Generalissimo insists that a complete signed agreement on schedules for distribution of troops and their accurate location must first be concluded. I have informed Generalissimo that in my opinion an extension of the present form of partial truce would probably result in violent military ruptures due to tense and explosive situation, the bitterness of commanders in the field, and the strong desire of Government military leaders to settle matters by force for which the plans of the Government are complete and pretty well known to Communists.
I will radio you tomorrow the moment I complete my interview with the Generalissimo.
- Copy transmitted by the War Department to the Secretary of State on June 30.↩