Message from General George C. Marshall to the War Department

WAR DEPARTMENT Socret - Marshall CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER was Left INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) OSD letter, April 12, 1974 DEORBI IVI By NLT- , NARS Date 2.15.25 EYES ONLY URGENT PARAPHRASE NOT REQUIRED, HANDLE AS SECRET CORRESPOMDENCE PER PARAGRAPHS 51 (i) and 60 (a) AR 380-5. From: CG, Nanking Liaison Group Nanking China from General Marshall ONLY To: War Department for WARCOS; please deliver following by hand of officer to hand of President and Secretary of State attn Bowen EYES ALONE Nr: GOLD 776 26 May 1946 "Dear Mr President: Since my message of May 22nd, GOLD 740, and General- issimo's departure for Mukden, I heve had continuous conferences with Chou En-Lai. This noon I received letter from General- issimo formally stating conditions he domanded for restoration of peace. In brief he demands execution of agreements for cessation of hostilities of January 10th which specifically relates to freedom of action of Government in taking over sovereignty in Manchuria, and agreement of February 25th for military demobilization and reorganization. He placed first importance on communist demonstration of good faith by per- mitting Government agencies to restore communications in Northern China, and stipulated that in executive headquarters and teams, American member should cast deciding vote or make decisions in case of commmunist-central government disagreement on action or interpretation of agreements. He also made a peculiar statement of query if I could guarantee Communist good faith in carrying out agreements. Chou En-Lai discussed letter with me but was not in position to commit himself on certain points. He will give me a partial statement of agree- ments late tonight for transmission to Generalissimo at Mukden. Meanwhile, I have dispatched a message to Generalissimo re- questing explanatory details regarding his general statements, proposing immodiate movement of a section of executive head- quarters to Changchun, and urging him to issue an order im- mediately directing cessation of attacks, pursuits or advances while details of truce are being arranged. CM IN 5941 (27 May 46) EYES ONLY SECRET 2 COPY No. THE MAKING OF AN EXACT COPY OF THIS MESSAGE IS FORBIDDEN