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B 4 Sun.cleig..6, 1972 THE WASHINGTON POST ::zkazzammummumumemzszrNzawilawara7m7An:,ftwam Don't bother to return the EcCune -- 0ohn Birch story. I'ye etten another coiy and don t need it. H

The Jan Birch John Birch: Did Socict y A REPORT He Seek Death?

By Wesley McCune cause John Birch—in all ctf his also chief of staff to Chiang, and .short but outstanding career—so the United States had an observer The _author, a former correspond- typified the best of Ameriea, we group at Conimunist headquarters ent for Time and Newsweek, is di-. have named our organization in his in Yenan, The two Chinese forces memory." rector of Group Research,. Inc., a were not cooperating, but never- A 16-page tabloid distribirited by Washington organization that moni- theless, both were supposed to know the Society in 1965 through millions the location .of American missions., tors right-wing activities. of Sunday newspapers used a color In this case they didn't, however photograph of Birch in uniform on IN 1954, • a -candy manufacturer because the area was occupied by the cover find opened-with two pages the Japanese. named Robert Welch wrote a depicting him as a martyr to the hook,. ,"The Life of John Birch," causes of the United States and "Don't Mind If They Kill Me" 'which told how an American Bap- Christianity. Included in the Pub- tist missionary who had. turned in-. lication Was a picture of his flag- HE BIRCH GROUP found the telligence officer in China during draped casket. T Japanese cooperative the first World War II became the first day of the mission, but was warned casualty, of World War III—the war Secret ,Documents of danger if it proceeded into the against communism. 'Birch Iva's kill- QUESTS FOR Army records Communist area. Despite the warn- ed by Chinese' Communist soldiers REon the circumstances of Capt. ing, Birch led his group forward, 10 days after Japan's surrender on Birch's death were refused at the and they encountered some Com- Aug. 14, 1945. time on the grounds that, they .were munist troops. Bird; who was flu- In 1958, Welch organized the John classified "secret" HoWever, per- ent in Chinese, was allowed to pass, Birch SOciety, and he remains its sistent efforts by Samuel J. Archi- but according to the records, Lt. leader. Several governors have pro- bald, director of the Washington Tung noticed that Birch's attitude claimed John Birch Day on the late office of the Freedom of. Informa- was "a little severe." He told Birch captain's birthday, and Birch's par- tion Center at the University of he thought his conduct was "dan- ents participate in the society's Missouri, have resulted in declassifi- gerous," but the captain replied: activities. When the organization's cation of the documents after nearly "Never mind, I want to see how existence became public, in 1961, 27 yeart. the Communists treat Americans. I most of the publicity centered on About 50 pages of official reports don't mind if they kill me, for Welch's charge that President Eisen- make it clear that Capt. Birch, America will then stop the Commu- hower was a "dedicated, conscious whose record had been very good, nist movement with atomic bombs." agent of the Communist conspir- provoked a group of Chinese Com- Nevertheless, Birch let Tung do acy," but there was also a little munist soldiers into killing him and the talking to the next two groups, speculation about who Capt. John almost killing his Chinese adjustant, and there were no incidents. At Birch really was. a Lt. Tung, by being demanding, Hwang Kao railroad station that A few authorities suggested that threatening and arrogant. afternoon, the Chinese were more he had proyoked his own death, but Nine days after Japan's surrender, belligerent. Tung reported that fact the government refused to make Capt. Birch was assigned to lead a to Birch whO reacted by taking a public an official version. Welch small group of U.S., Chinese and hands-on-hip stance and telling one -emerge--that Washing- Korean personnerro-Slichow in the of the Chinese:• "Well! So you want ton suppressed the news of Birch's interior of China to collect Japanese to disarm us. At present the Amer- death because of Communist influ- files and check the airport for the icans have liberated the whole ence. This was part of his "grand Office of Strategic Services. Al- 8 world, and you want to stop us and Conspiracy" theme, and his basic though the war was supposedly 'speech during the early months of over, this territory was occupied by disarm us. Are you. bandits?" 1962 included this passage: Japanese and their puppets and By this time, the Birch party was there was still hositility. "With his death and in his death surrounded by 60 or 70 armed Chi- the battle lines were drawn, in a Nationalist forces under Genera- nese. After some delay, they told lissimo Chaing Kai-shek had been the party it could proceed, but struggle from which either . com- S munism or Christian-style civiliza- fighting the Japanese; as had Com- Birch refused to be satisfied until tion must emerge with one com- munist Chinese forces under Mao taken to the commanding officer. pletely triumphant and the other Tse-tung and Chou En-Lai, When a Communist soldier started completely destroyed. Partly for Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer, Com- to lead them back to where they these reaQaec lint peen more be- mander of U.S. forces in China, was had just been, Birch grabbed him

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at the back of the collar and said: less the actions taken by the Chi- Kai-shek, asking for help in bring- "After all, what are you people? nese Communist Army personnel ing the perpetrators to justice. Sev- If I say bandits, you don't have fell short of according the rights eral months later, having received 0. the appearance of bandits. You are and privileges due even to enemy no reply, Wedemeyer reminded the worse than bandits." prisoners of war and constituted generalissimo of the request and re- Left for Dead murder?' It added: "The shooting ceived a message that the National- was done maliciously . . . the kill- ists had repeatedly asked the Com- SHORT DISTANCE farther, A ing was completely without justifi- munists for help in court-martialing A the leader of about 20 armed . cation." those responsible but had received Communists ordered his men to With that conclusion, however, no response. However, the message load their guns and disarm Birch. was the following statement: "Since went on, the matter was being taken Tung tried to intervene again, but the presence of the Birch party in up with Chou En-lai. was shot. He lost consciousness after the area had not been announced to hearing another shot and hearing That was March 15, three years the Communists, Nationalists or the before Chou and Mao drove Chiang Birch say he was hit in the leg and Yenan Observer Group . . . and be- could not walk. A third shot appar- (and the United States) out of cause the Communists were still in China. ently killed Birch, and he was bay- battle action, it was entirely proper oneted as well. Both men were left About 10 years later, Wedemeyer for them to hold Birch and Tung wrote an article for Robert Welch's for dead, bift Tung was rescued until satisfied that they were friend- and returned to an American base, new journal, One Man's Opinion, ly groups. Further, in view of and soon was listed on its editorial where he was interrogated at Birch's attitude and actions, the length. He lost an eye and a leg. advisory committee. In 1958, Welch Communists were to a degree prop- secretly organized the John Birch The others in the Birch group erly resentful at being termed were detained nearly two months, Society and changed the name of `bandits' and were not inclined to his magazine to American Opinion. and reported later that they were be immediately helpful." treated fairly well. Three of the Wedemeyer remained an adviser Americans made out a joint report "Belligerent, Contemptuous" through the October issue of 1961, which substantiated Tung's, espe- several months after the right-wing HE REPORT also concluded: organization became public, but a cially as to Birch's attitude and the T "From T. Tung's testimony, it warnings he had been given. few weeks later he told Newsweek seems clear that Birch was in no magazine that he had left Welch. Birch's body was recovered from mood to treat with the Communists "I knew John Birch as a captain a shallow grave, and after a Catholic , and that his actions toward them in China," he said. "He provoked service was buried with military were belligerent and contemptu- the attack on hiniself; he was arro- honors on a hillside near SuChow. ous." gant. I warned Welch not to make .1 A 10-page report on the incident, Gen. Wedemeyer wrote Aug, 31 a hero of Birch. That's why: I quit. submitted to Gen. Wedemeyer by to Mao Tse-tung about the inci- . . I think Weloh is a dedicated; the judge advocate for the theater dent, expressing gratitude for past fine American,' but 'he licks good and dated Nov. 13, 1945, relied sub- cooperation and asking for a prompt • 'judgment." ' stantially on the eyewitness ac- investigation report. A reply from IronicalIY, the „military recerds counts by Lt. Tung. It concluded Yenan asserted that Birch and Tung which were firialiy, released were that "although Capt. Birch's conduct had approached from the enemy's:'' held up a .few. additional .days sq, immediately prior to his death in- direction, had cursed the Commtb,. that their disclesure could not catise dicated a lack of good judgment and nists who challenged themy embarrassment during President failure to take proper precautions were shot in self-defense. Nixon's trip to China earlier' this • in a dangerous situation. neverthe- Wedemeyer also wrote Chiang year.

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