The China White Paper 1949 (XXII)

On January 10, 1946 the National Government proposed the establishment of a military committee to deal with army reduction. Both the National government and the CCP agreed that General Marshall could participate in the committee as advisor. This Committee held its first meeting on February 14, 1946. It was expected that within 12 months the army size of the National government would be reduced to 60 divisions while CCP would be 18 divisions. Both parties respectively responsible for their own demobilization. Marshall always emphasised the need for China to create a national, nonpolitical military force similar to those of western countries so as to avoid its being used as an authoritarian weapon. Marshall noticed that some people inside KMT was against such an idea. About this agreement he once said that "This agreement, I think, represents the great hope of China. I can only trust that its pages will not be soiled by a small group of irreconcilables who for a selfish purpose would defeat the Chinese people in their overwhelming desire for peace and prosperity".1 (to be continued)

Note:
1.United States, Department of State. The China White Paper-August 1949. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1967, page 142.