Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and General Yu Ta-wei at No. 5 Ning Hai Road, Nanking, August 9, 1946, 10:30 a.m.
| Also present: | Colonel Caughey |
General Yu Ta Wei opened the meeting by indicating that the overall military situation had not improved. In North Kiangsu fighting is prevalent against Communist offensives from the east toward the National Government controlled area, which in general forms a crescent extending south of Hsuchow along the railroad, thence bending eastward just north of the Yangtze River over to and including Tai-hsien and Tai-hsing; there have been no significant recent developments in the Shantung Province; General Li’s troops in Hupeh Province still remain in two concentration areas—one south of the Han River in the vicinity of Lao-ho-kou—and one north of the Han River in the vicinity of Shang-nan; the outstanding feature of military developments is the apparent rapid deterioration in Shansi Province in the vicinity of Tatung, where Communist forces have now moved in on that city, taken the city power plant and airfield. General Yu continued by stating that the rail line between Tai-yuan and Ching-hsing-kuang (on the border of Shansi and Hopei Provinces) had been destroyed as well as the rail line south from Tai-yuan to Hsin-chiang.
General Yu Ta Wei then asked General Marshall what had been the results of the discussions between Dr. Stuart and General Chou En Lai. General Marshall indicated that thus far there had been no results since the Generalissimo’s terms, presented by Dr. Stuart, were even harsher than the terms dictated toward the end of June.
General Yu then asked General Marshall what his ideas were with reference to further negotiations. General Marshall informed General Yu Ta Wei that it would be necessary for him first to see General Chou En Lai this afternoon, and also he must have an opportunity to appraise carefully the present situation and complicated factors. He continued by informing General Yu Ta Wei that the situation was most desperate and that the feeling on both sides was at such a pitch as almost to preclude the development of a procedure which would permit a peaceful settlement. General Marshall told General Yu Ta Wei that the situation within the National Government itself was such that he was having difficulty in seeing his way clear to even suggest a reasonable approach, For instance (after reminding General Yu [Page 1474] that he (General Yu) had seen a good bit of the world) General Marshall indicated the political leader in the Government was also the head of the secret police, which was much the state in Germany during the war, the only difference being that the name of the individual involved was not Himmler.
There followed a general dissertation on the aspect of American public opinion and how that opinion may affect the situation in China.