893.00/10–648: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 6—6:43 a. m.]
1845. Following is summary north Shensi broadcast October 5 concerning lesson derived from fall of Tsinan (Embtel 1822 of October 2): General Su Yu, Vice Field Army Commander of East China People’s Liberation Army, who commanded taking of Tsinan, told North China News Agency correspondent that capture of Tsinan demonstrates fundamental change between strength of Communist and Kmt armies has taken place and will continue to take place. Loss of over 100,000 Kmt troops is greater than Kmt losses in any previous month of civil war. This proves that the more People’s Liberation Army fights the more powerful it becomes while Kmt troops become progressively weaker. He recalled that during August and September 1947 Kmt Commander in Shantung, Wang Yao-wu, boasted “all Communist troops are wiped out from Shantung.” On same battlefield only 1 year later not Communist troops but rather hundreds of thousands of Kmt troops are wiped out and Wang himself is prisoner. General Su Yu pointed out that taking of strongly fortified Tsinan held by over 100,000 Kmt troops in only 8 days fighting indicates might [Page 486] of People’s Liberation Army and especially its powerful strength in taking positions. Skirted by Yellow River in north and Taishan Mountain in south, Tsinan is known as city easy to hold but hard to take. Its defense works built during Japanese occupation were further strengthened by Wang. Over 1,000 reenforced concrete fortifications were erected within 50 kilometer radius of city. They were interwoven with system of barbed wire entanglements, moats, barriers and pillboxes. That all these would not withstand Communist assault proves that Communist Army can now take any strongly fortified big city. Su further pointed out that this battle proves Communist Army can annihilate large numbers of Kmt troops within very short period not only in war of maneuvers but also in positional warfare. Su predicted that while people are marching toward nationwide victory there will still be final desperate resistance from Chiang Kai-shek under command of American imperialism. He concluded that liberation of entire Chinese people is possible only by thoroughly wiping out all Kmt troops and crushing war machine of Kmt reactionary bloc. End of summary.
Sent Department 1845; repeated Shanghai 906.