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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 4302

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0002)　12 October 1951

2. SUMMARY

PW was very cooperative but not very intelligent. PW was in good physical condition. Reliability - Fair.

1934 - Mar 46 - T’UMEN (圖們), MANCHURIA. Worked as a kitchen help in the Revenue Collector’s Office from Dec 43 to Jun 45, and as a sales clerk from Jun 45 to Mar 46.

Mar 46 - Enlisted in the CHILIN (吉林) Military District Infantry Regt.

Mar 46 - Aug 47 - Remained in YENCHI (延吉) as a member of the above unit.

Aug 47 - Dec 48 - Stationed in NINGAN (寧安) with above unit.

Dec 48 - Mar 49 - Stationed in PAI-CHENGTZU (白城子) MANCHURIA with above unit.

Mar 49 - Sep 49 - Fought south with CCF to HANKOU (HANKOW) (漢口).

Sep 49 - Jan 50 - Remained in HANKOU with occupation forces.

Feb 50 - Mar 50 - Remained in CHENGCHOU (鄭州), MANCHURIA.

Korean troops of the CCF were assembled for repatriation to North KOREA.

Apr 50 - Arrived North KOREA.

a. Relief: The city is situated on a level desert table-land devoid of any slope or depressions. The nearest irregular terrain is about 200 miles to the north of the city.

b. Drainage: There are no streams, river, or lakes within a radius of 200 miles from the city.

c. Soil: The ground with a radius of 3 kilometers from the city is composed of a reddish brown clay. The ground is firm enough for vehicular traffic but even in extremely arid climate, the wheels of the motor vehicles sink to a depth of about 4 inches. After a two inch rainfall, the ground was too soft to support vehicular traffic. It usually took about three hours for the ground to dry after a two inch rainfall and about four hours before vehicular traffic was possible. In dry weather, the top soil was cracked and a man jumping in one spot would cause the ground to depress and rise within a radius of three meters. At a distance of about 3 kilometers from the city, the reddish brown clay is mixed with sand and is firm in all types of weather. The sand content of the soil increases from this point to a distance of about 8 kilometers from which no point traces of the red clay could be found. The sandy desert which surrounds the city is trafficable in all type of weather. The sand is loosely packed, fine grained, and grayish white in color.

d. Vegetation: There were no trees within a radius of 300 miles from the city. Within 10 kilometers from the city, there was an abundant growth of grass and weeds especially in the 8 kilometer belt where the clay is mixed with sand. The grass grow to a height of about 1 meter. Type of grass is not known, but is was food fodder for livestock.

e. Climate: (Hearsay, except for winter conditions) The area is extremely arid between March and October and sporadic rainfalls mark the first month of winter, and the first month of spring. The depth of snowfall usually measures about 30 centimeters all winter. Snow begins to fall in the latter part of November and continues until the early part of March. The snow usually thaws completely by the latter part of April. The ground begins to freeze in early part of November and starts to thaw in early part of March. During winter, the ground freezes to a depth of about 2 meters. Temperature in winter of 48 was as follows: Low - 30℃, High - 15℃, average : 25℃.

Jr Lt　obs: Dec 48 - Mar 49

a. Railway: The city is the hub of rail communications in the area. All three lines radiating from the city were single track and of the standard Japanese guage. No details are available. There has been no indication that new rail lines of facilities were to be constructed.

b. Highway: There were three all weather roads which followed the railroad lines out of the city. The roads were 5 meters wide and surfaced with rocks and sand. The roads were kept in good repair. There were no indications that new roads were to be constructed or that existing highways were to be improved. Most of the provisions were hauled by trucks and the highways were used extensively.

c. Bridges: There was a 250 meter long bridge for a single track railroad on the line connecting PAI-CHENGTZU and TSITSIHAR (齊齊哈爾). The bridge was located about 300 miles N of PAI-CHENGTZU.

d. Telephone: The PAI-CHENGTZU telephone exchange was located 1.5 km W of the railroad station. The building was a 10 x 5 x 10 meter red brick structure with gabled black tile roof. Details on telephone communication, unknown.

Sociological PAI-CHENGTZU

a. Social and Economic Structure: The principal industries of the city are the manufacturing of caustic potash and livestock raising.

Of the estimated 60,000 population, 65% of the people were engaged in home industry producing caustic potash while 20% of the people raised livestock for a livelihood. The remaining 15% of the population were shopkeepers, railroad employees; municipal workers, etc.

100% of the residents were Chinese. Although the city is situated close to the border of MONGOLIA, the only MONGOLS in the city were transient businessmen. The members of the municipal government were elected from among its resident Communist Party members. No non-Communist were carried on the ballot. No details of the city administration is known.

There were no local judicial organs. All trials were conducted at the County Court in TSTISIHAR. There was a local security unit which performed police functions. Details of law enforcement agencies unknown.

There were no indications that the city was being improved in any way. Population remained stable and PW heard that there has not been any appreciable increase or decrease in the population since 45. Labor is abundant and the industries of the city required little or no skilled laborers.

The educational level of the masses was very low, and the majority of the people were illiterate. There were no compulsory education laws and 70% of the people were too poor to even send their children to Primary School. There was one Primary School in the city with a capacity of 400 pupils. There were no other educational institutions. The children of the wealthier families were sent to the institutions in the larger cities in MANCHURIA or CHINA to further their education.

The water supply of the city comes from private and communal wells. There was no other source of water. Depth of the wells was usually 20 meters.

Economic PAI-CHENGTZU

a. Agricultural:

Crops: Except for small home gardens, the area was unsuitable for farming. The only produce was potatoes.

Livestock: Livestock raising was second only to the caustic potash industry. There were herds of privately owned cattle, sheep and horses. Figures on the number of livestock are not available. Livestocks are primarily raised for local consumption but hides and wool were shipped to the tanneries and textile mills in the larger Manchurian cities. No figures are available on production.

Timber: There were no trees in or near the city.

Solid Fuels: There were no coal mines or forest lands. Dried animal dug mixed with weeds was the common fuel used by the natives.

Industrial Chemicals and Fertilizers: There are vast surface deposits of potash in the area surrounding the city and approximately 65% of the estimated 60,000 residents of the city are engaged in the industry. Each morning the people gathered the potash in baskets and carried it home to their primitive processing ovens. The average amount produced by each family per day was about 20 kilograms. The finished product was than taken to a collecting office. Total monthly or annual production, unknown. Details of the deposits, unknown.

Destination of product, unknown.

Industrial Targets: None

For the Commanding Officer: