Chapter 84 Pulling in the U.S. Army Observation Team 1944-1947

Journalist: “In 1944 the U.S. sent a U.S. military observation team to Yan’an, how did you handle the U.S. imperial soldiers coming?”

Mao: “I begged for it, and I certainly welcomed it. Chiang Kai-shek had always opposed the coming of American troops to Yan’an. The U.S. went to a lot of trouble to make it happen only in July 1944. The U.S. Army came to my door, the object of unification I needed most”

Journalist: “Oh, you’re going to exert united front tactics to win them over, you’re confident, aren’t you?”

Mao: “Yes, I feel through the U.S. intentions, the U.S. wants to pull me into the U.S. led anti-Japanese camp and test the possibility of arming the Communist Party to fight together against Japan. Even if they could not fight together, they wanted certain assistance from the Communist forces. I took this opportunity to win the trust of the U.S., to get the U.S. to give me weapons and equipment, and to strengthen my army.”

Journalist: “How did you arrange the operation?”

Mao: “I repeatedly made elaborate preparations and made every effort to arrange a warm reception. The first group of nine U.S. military observers came to Yan’an on a transport plane, and I wanted Zhu De, Zhou Enlai and all the others to go to the airport to meet them, very grandly. The second batch of nine people came, I personally went to the airport to meet. Arranged to live in the best house in Yan’an, Yang Shangkun special reception, equipped with two interpreters, four logistics managers, eight cooks, a security squad. The U.S. Army wanted to pay 6 yuan per day for food, I refused, and I took care of all the food and accommodation.”

Journalist: “How do you unify them?”

Mao: “In addition to feeding them the best, I arranged to give them reports, exaggerating my military strength and war achievements, and filling them with ecstasy; they were naive and sweet, and they believed whatever I told them, and we became good friends. They gave the observation team a warm name, called the Dixie Mission (DixieMission), Dixie was a popular song celebrating the South during the American Civil War, the South was beaten by the North, and they sympathized with Yan’an as they sympathized with the South. They did not understand that I was not so gentle, I was determined to overthrow Chiang Kai-shek. Of course, I don’t give them the war story of fighting Chiang. I said I agree with American democracy, if you think the Communist Party is not good, I can change the name. Of course, the fact that Wang Shimi wants democracy cannot be known to them, and Wang Shimi has been locked up.”

Journalist: “You are a master of united front, Americans are straight- hearted, you are good at making up stories, enlisting the Americans comfortably, they have no suspicion, right?”

Mao: “Yes. I especially told them the story of the Communist rescue of American pilots, we rescued more than 100 American pilots who were shot down, and escorted them to the rear by all means, they were very moved by what they heard and realized that the Communist army did have power and means.”

Journalist: “There was a Chinese-speaking Chinese general in the U.S. Army observation team who you got along particularly well with, right?”

Mao: “Yes, his name is John Service, the son of an American missionary born in Chengdu, fluent in both English and Chinese, and he did not need an interpreter to talk with me. Later he was designated as a pro-communist back in the U.S. and was suspended for investigation.”

Journalist: “Did the observation team also go to the front to inspect and understand it?”

Mao: “Yes, I arranged for them to visit the front line in North China, and several American troops even went to Guangdong to inspect, of course, to give them a good look at my war record. U.S. aircraft urgently needed weather information, I also arranged to do my best to provide weather information.”

Journalist: “The weapons and equipment you most want to fight for, gave you assistance? “

Mao: “No. The Americans saw that my forces were still weak, scattered and not of a high standard, and that it would be too late to arm and train for the battlefield. The U.S. still relied on Chiang’s army and the Soviet Red Army, who were readily available. This disappointed me. But my united front work was not in vain. After the victory of the war against Japan, the U.S. Observation Group changed its name to the Liaison Group, and more than 200 officers from the U.S. Army came to Yan’an before and after, liaising between the Communist Party and the State, they sympathized with me, had good feelings for me, and in many cases pressed Chiang on the peace talks between the Communist Party and the Civil War, favoring me and allowing me to fight until it went smoothly, otherwise how could they defeat Chiang in 3 years?”

Journalist: “This shows that your united front was very successful. The Soviet Union also sent representatives to Yan’an at that time, right?”

Mao: “Yes. Stalin often sent representatives to Yan’an to spy on me. Unlike the American army, it was difficult for me to unify them. There was a Chinese name Sun Ping, who caught me in the act. He could not escape the defects of Yan’an, and he reported my opium cultivation, making it difficult for me. I tried to enlist him and send him female college students, but he was not moved, so it was hard to get him. After my death, Moscow also came out with his ‘Yan’an Diary’ and made a fool of me.”