121.893/9–1947
Memorandum by Mr. Philip D. Sprouse to General Wedemeyer
[Nanking,] 30 July 1947.
Subject: Views of General Ma Chan-shan
- 1.
- Mukden’s despatch No. 28 of July 10, 194769 transmits a letter from General Ma Chan-shan to the Secretary of State, which Gen. Ma handed to the Consul General at Mukden in the strictest confidence. Gen. Ma places the blame for the present state of affairs in Manchuria on Soviet support on [of?] the Chinese Communists and the failure of National Government officials to carry out the orders and uphold the ideals of the Generalissimo. He condemns the inefficiency of the National Government military commanders in Manchuria and the exploitation of that area by non-Manchurian civil and military officials. He feels that Manchuria can be saved from the Communists only by replacing the present regime with one made up of native Manchurians, such as Gen. Ma and by supporting such a new regime with sufficient funds and munitions to enable it to cast out the Communists. He asks that any aid given to China by the US be apportioned between the National Government and the “people”, i. e. Gen. Ma himself.
- 2.
- Gen. Ma is reported in previous dispatches to have been authorized by the Gimo to organize native guerrilla bands but Gen. Tu Liming is said to have refused to permit such action. Gen. Ma was the last of the Manchurian military commanders to have offered resistance to the Japanese in 1931, and following his final elimination from Manchuria has been in northwest China with little power and in only a nominal military command. He was recently named Deputy Commander in Manchuria, but that is believed to be only a “kick upstairs” and he has apparently been given no power.
Philip D. Sprouse