Message from General George C. Marshall to the War Department

WAR DEPARTMENT CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER INCOMING CLEAR MESSAGE PRIORITY From: Office of General Marshall, Nanking China from General Marshall sgd Caughey To : War Department for WARCOS for Carter Nr : GOLD 1736 8 November 1945 Statement of the Generalissimo referred to in GOLD 1735 follows: $9 On October 16 I made public a statement regarding the policy of the government, with a series of proposals as a basis for the termination of hostilities. I had hoped that this would evoke a response from the Communist Party leading to a final and complete cessation of war. Today on the eve of the meeting of the National Assembly, I wish to reassert the consistent policy of the government to pro- note internal peace and national unity and to carry through to consummation the conclusion of the period of political tutelage and the inauguration of constitutional democracy. As a further evidence of the sincere desire of the govern- ment to achieve a lasting peace and political stability for the country, orders have been issued for all government troops in China Proper and the Northeast to cease firing except as may be necessary to defend their present positions In accordance with the resolutions of the PCC the National Assembly was to have been convened on May 5th, 1946. However, the Communist Party and other parties declined to submit the list of their delegates. Later, on July 4th, an announcement was made tv the government to the effect that the National Assembly would be convened on November 12th MC-IN 53100 (9 Nov 46) UNCLASSIFIED