Evening star., 1951-06-11
Foreign Policy
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his own suggestions were disre-
garded.
8. If he had been in Gen. Mac
Arthur's position, he would have
answered a letter from House
Minority Leader Martin about
strategy in the Korean War, but
also would have informed the
Pentagon of his action. The
Macarthur letter to MI. Martin
led directly to the dismissal of
Gen. Macarthur as Far Eastern
commander.
Gen. Wedemeyer, who COM
manded the Chinese theater from
1914 to the end of the war. told
the committee that the Chinese
Communist forces contribution
toward defeating the Japanese
was very limited"
They did not subject them
selves to coordination" Gen.
Wedemeyer testified. and ex-
planned that was role for which
he was responsible as the theater
commander and as Chief OF Staff
10 Chang Kai-shek.
Avoided Chinese Politics.
'They were constantly asking
me for supplies, but it was diff
cult logistically to send them mu-
nitions and. furthermore. found
that I could provide munitions
which I could implement against
the Japanese effectively. and.
therefore. did So
Gen. Wedemeyer said he sent
the Communists in Yenan II tons
of medical supplies one severe
winter "for humanitarian rea-
sons" He was being questioned
by Chairman Russell on events in
China during the war. The Sena-
tor asked if the conflict of inter-
est between the Communists and
the Nationalists were injurious to
the war effort against the Japa-
nese.
Gen. Wedemeyer replied that it
would have helped considerably If
he could have employed the Chi
nese forces to harraSS the Japa-
nese communications in the north.
But. he added. the Communists
conducted only raids against Jap
anese outposts to obtain arms and
equipment and those raids did not
make much of a contribution to
the war effort.
Il concentrated, as theater COM
mander, upon killing Japanese, /"
Gen. Wedemeyer said. land I tried
not to become embroiled in po-
htical affairs there as theater
commander.
Shifted 5 Chinese Divisions.
Senator Russell wanted to know
If some Chinese Nationalist divi-
sions were employed in watching
the Communists instead OF being
used against the japanese.
Gen. Wedemeyer replied that
IL 1914 when the Japanese were
'booting me around terrifically''
he obtained five divisions from
Chang Kai-shek and moved them
to the combat area away from
where the Communists were con-
centrated.
II have no personal knowledge
Of his reluctance to withhold
troops prior to my coming there. y
the general testified" and my own
experience would indicate that not
a prohibitive number of divisions
were tied up to defend against the
Communists.
The tall, silver haired general,
who has asked for retirement from
the Army, was dressed in civilian
clothes-a gray blush suit-as he
went before the joint investigating
committee. In a short prelimin-
ary statement before the Senators
began questioning him, Gen
Wedemeyer quickly made it clear
that he backed Gen. Macarthur
Saturday statement that the 1916
message did not by any means
favor a coalition government in
China. In a strongly worded tele-
gram last Saturday, Gen. Mac
Arthur said such an inference was
"a prevarication."
Wedemeyer Explains Message.
Gen. Wedemeyer said Secretary
Acheson quoted paragraph "out
of context from a message which
recommended courses of action tt
be taken to consolidate and
strengthen the position of the Ma.
tionalist government in China"
Those recommended courses o
action, the general explained, GOV
cred plans for the repatriation o
approximately 3 million Japanes
who were in China at the clos
of World War II. He added tina
about / million of the Japanes
were soldiers and the proposal wa
to fill their places in North Chin
"as rapidly as possible" wit
Chinese Nationalist forces.
Gen. Wedemeyer said this. wa
would be maintained in the crit
ical areas and that the Nationals
troops would have the opportunit
to control those areas instead q
the Chinese Communists.
General Repeats Denial.
ST should like to repeat, gentle
men," Gen. Wedemeyer emphs
sized, there was not. in my min
at least, any idea that the mes
sage quoted out of context by Sex
retary of State Acheson -. cor