761.93/6–645
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
T. V. Soong called upon me this afternoon. He stated that he had heard from his Ambassador that Mr. Hopkins had made good headway in his conversations with Stalin. I did not comment. His Ambassador had also said that he understood that Stalin and Hopkins had discussed Manchuria and Port Arthur. Dr. Soong said also that he had received certain indications from the Russians that they were coming into the war. I told Dr. Soong that either the President or I would wish to have a private talk with him prior to the time he went to Moscow on the general state of relations between the Soviet Union and China.
He inquired as to when Mr. Hopkins would reach Washington. I told him that this was uncertain. He said he hoped he could stay until the Conference ended, but it would be necessary for him to go to Chungking and see the Generalissimo before he went to Moscow. He said he hoped it would be possible for the conversation to take place between himself and myself. I told him I would let him know as soon as possible whether the conversation would take place between him and myself or between the President and himself.
Dr. Soong stated their only hope of keeping out of the Soviet orbit was a strong relationship with the United States; that this was their only hope. I asked Dr. Soong that if we were unable to reach a satisfactory solution on the veto matter in San Francisco and if the Soviet Union would not sign the Charter, what would his position be. He stated that I could depend finally and definitely on China acting with the United States and signing the Charter as agreed upon at San Francisco whether the Russians sign or not.