Act Now to Prevent the Expansion of the Chinese Civil War (November 15, 1945)

Just as the Kuomintang has agreed to convene the Political Consultative Conference and is putting on a show of seeking peace through negotiations, the largest battle of the undeclared civil war is about to break out in the Shanhaiguan area. The first characteristic of this battle is that the Kuomintang has concentrated all its crack troops here. As many as six armies have already been moved or are being prepared to move into this battle, namely, the 13th Army, the 92nd Army, the 94th Army, the 16th Army, the 52nd Army, and so on (the designation of another army remains to be checked). Five of these armies will be used to attack the Shanhaiguan line, while the 92nd Army will be used to attack Rehe in coordination. The second characteristic of this battle is that it most blatantly reveals the armed intervention of the U.S. forces stationed in China in China’s internal affairs. All these Kuomintang troops have been transported with the help of the U.S. forces and by U.S. warships and planes. Qinhuangdao, the base south of Shanhaiguan where the Kuomintang troops are concentrated, was entirely set up by the U.S. forces and is still under their protection. All these Kuomintang troops were equipped with U.S. arms and trained by U.S. officers under the pretext of “preparing for a counter-offensive against Japan.” In all these Kuomintang troops, there are now U.S. officers “helping” with the command. In some units, there are ten U.S. officers per regiment and one per battalion. The U.S. forces stationed in China supply these Kuomintang troops with heavy weapons—artillery, tanks, aircraft, and so on. Every bit of ammunition, food, and gasoline for these Kuomintang troops is transported by U.S. warships and planes. Even the coal used by these Kuomintang troops comes from mines “protected” by the U.S. forces and is transported on railways “protected” by the U.S. forces. Without these acts by the U.S. forces stationed in China of “not interfering in China’s internal affairs,” of “not getting involved in China’s civil war,” of “not wishing for civil war in China,” and of “not helping the Central Army in the anti-communist war,” how could this unprecedented great battle at Shanhaiguan ever be fought?

Are these acts by the U.S. forces stationed in China meant to disarm the Japanese and repatriate them? Is this not miles wide of the mark? Is it not poles apart?

Wedemeyer talks endlessly about “protecting American lives and property,” yet at the same time he sends many Americans into the Kuomintang troops, onto the battlefields, and into the gunfire where death is possible at any moment. Is this the way to “protect American lives”? To let American soldiers die not in a just war against Japan, but in a reactionary civil war that obstructs the independence and freedom of the Chinese people—what meaning, what value does this have?

An unprecedented massacre is about to take place in the Shanhaiguan area. This is a filthy massacre. In a practical sense, it is not merely a Chinese civil war but outright a war by the U.S. forces stationed in China against the Chinese people. It must be stopped immediately! People from all walks of life in China and the United States should promptly send their own investigation teams there and unite to use every possible means to stop this massacre.

Act in time to prevent the imminent great battle in the Shanhaiguan area, and rescue the tens of thousands of sons of the Chinese people and sons of the American people who are about to be driven to the slaughterhouse! Oppose the Kuomintang’s attacks on the Liberated Areas! Oppose armed intervention in China’s internal affairs!