Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "213875674",
    "label": "National Security Council Report 11, A Report to the National Security Council by the Secretary of Defense on Action by United States Forces at Tsingtao in Defense of United States Lives and Property",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/213875674"
}

{
    "id": "213875674",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/213875674",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "National Security Council Report 11, A Report to the National Security Council by the Secretary of Defense on Action by United States Forces at Tsingtao in Defense of United States Lives and Property",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/213875674",
    "collections": [
        "President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
        "Subject Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750593/750593-04-001.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750593/750593-04-001.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750593/750593-04-001.jpg",
    "imageCount": 13,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/213875674",
    "naId": 213875674,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 24,
            "logicalDate": "1948-05-24",
            "month": 5,
            "year": 1948
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 10,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750593/750593-04-010.jpg",
    "mediaId": "b3a2e92518994651",
    "ocrText": "TAUMAN\nPOP SECRET\nANNEX \"c\"\nc ARCHIVES SERVICE\" AND\nRECORDS\nis\nany\nNAVY DEPARTMENT\nOFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS\nOp-32P14\n5 May 1948\nMEMORANDUM OF INFORMATION\nSubject: Military Situation in Shantung Province, China.\n1. The capabilities of the Chinese Nationalist Army in Shan-\ntung are highly limited. The low morale of the Nationalist forces\nand limited facilities due to losses have reduced them to a very\nlow degree of combat efficiency. The Nationalist forces hold\ncertain major cities of Shantung and a defense perimeter around\nthem. The lines are very fluid. Nationalist intelligence has been\npoor with the result that the intent of the Communists in Shantung\nhas been generally ascertained only when the blow fell. Total\navailable Nationalist forces in Shantung are about 144,000 troops.\nEquipment is worn, old, and limited; transport is disrupted, and\nmost of these forces are pinned down in the cities.\n2. The capabilities of the Chinese Communist forces in Shan-\ntung are greater than those of the Nationalists. The Chinese Com-\nmunists control the hinterland of Shantung; this control virtually\nseals off the Nationalist forces in the cities and the defense\nperimeters that they hold. Chinese Communist forces in Shantung\nconsist of approximately 200,000 troops of which approximately\n60,000 are capable of being brought to bear as combat effectives\nin any given area of the province. The Chinese Communist forces\nare capable of taking any area in Shantung now in the hands of the\nNationalist forces. Their morale is high with their recent victor-\nies and the victorious assault on Weihsien. Their equipment has\nbeen continuously replenished with what they have been able to take\nfrom the Nationalist forces. At Weihsien the Chinese Communists\nmade use of field artillery in the siege and assault of that city.\nThis equipment is ex-Jap, U.S. and Chinese. Control of the hinter-\nland in Shantung enables the Communists to live off the country.\nThe mobility of the Chinese Communist forces has enabled them to\nout maneuver the Chinese Nationalist Army in the Shantung campaign\nsince September 1947.\n3.\nWith the fall of Weihsien approximately 200,000 Chinese\nCommunist troops become available for further operations in Shan-\ntung. The objective that these troops may be utilized to take\ncenters in one of four focal points: Chefoo, Tsinan, Lini and\nTsingtao. These are the principal cities of Shantung now in the\nNSC 11\n- 7 -\nTOP DECRET"
}