793.00/8–1150: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
secret
London, August 11,
1950—8 p. m.
[Received August 11—10:46 p. m.]
[Received August 11—10:46 p. m.]
883. Following based on what can be recalled from hurried reading of message received in War Office from UK MA China; evaluation B–2:
- 1.
- Tatung coal output being shipped in entirety to USSR even though dearth of fuel in North China.
- 2.
- Substantial part Fourth Army under Lin Piao garrisoned along Korean frontier.
- 3.
- Peiping-Hankow railway clogged throughout July and August with north-bound troop trains. On Tientsin-Pukow Railway 11 northbound trains noticed first week August.
- 4.
- North of Shanhaikwan all station names removed and replaced by numbers.
- 5.
- Russian advisers stationed to south of Nanyuan Airfield, Peiping have left assumably for north.
- 6.
- According Mongolian travelers an entire area within 30 miles radius of a mountain (unfortunately not identified in Outer-Mongolia) had been evacuated of its population.
Douglas