TWO TELEGRAMS FROM THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE EIGHTEENTH GROUP ARMY TO CHIANG KAI-SHEK * August !($%
I.
TELEGRAM OF AUGUST 13
We have received through the Chungking radio two Central News Agency dispatches, one carrying the order you sent us and the other your order to the officers and men in various war zones. Your order to us reads, “All units of the Eighteenth Group Army should stay where they are, pending further orders.” In addition, it talks about such things as forbidding us to take over the enemy’s arms. Your order to the officers and men in various war zones was reported as follows in the Central News Agency dispatch from Chungking, dated August 11 : “The Supreme Command today sent telegrams to the officers and men in various war zones, ordering them to step up the war effort and in accordance with existing military plans and orders actively to push forward without the slightest relaxation.” We hold that these two orders contradict each other. According to the first, our units should “stay where they are, pending further orders” and should no longer attack or fight. Why do you tell us not to fight at this moment when the Japanese aggressors have not yet actually surrendered, when every hour and every minute they are killing Chinese people and fighting Chinese troops as well as Soviet, U.S. and British troops, and when, in their turn, the Soviet, U.S. and British troops are fighting the Japanese aggressors every hour and every minute? As to the second order, we consider it very good. “Step up the war effort and actively push forward without the slightest relaxation” — that’s more like it! But what a pity you have given this order only to your own troops, and not to us, 33
