Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
General Marshall’s Notes on Conferences With Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek September 15 and 17 at Kuling
On the 15th I informed him of the stand Chou En Lai had taken on receipt of the Generalissimo’s statements at our previous meeting—(1) Chou’s insistence that the cessation of hostilities was of first importance and that the meeting of the Stuart Group must be dependent on that, and (2) That the Generalissimo’s statement that hostilities could not be terminated until the Communists had nominated their delegates to the National Assembly in November was but another demand added to the previous five and was intended to delay the peace in order to permit the government forces to carry on their planned campaign. I explained Chou’s insistence on an immediate meeting of the Committee of Three.
The Generalissimo in a lengthy discussion stated: (1) That he would agree to the Committee of Three meeting once the Stuart group gave indication of reaching an agreement for the organization of the State Council, and (2) That all the Communists had to do regarding his qualification as to the National Assembly was to publish the list of their delegates. If there was a delay it would be their fault and not that of the government.
On September 17th, today I gave him an outline of Chou En Lai’s three memorandums to me of September [15th and] 16th of which I only had at that time a brief radio summary.60
He stated that Doctor Stuart’s information—which I read to him—that the government delegates for the Stuart Committee had such [Page 195] precise instructions from him that they could not discuss the question of number of representatives of each party to comprise the State Council or the question of veto power, was incorrect. He agreed with me that those were the only two, certainly the major questions, to be discussed. He did not agree, however, to their informal discussion before the formal meeting of the Committee but did specifically agree that they would be the principal subjects for the Stuart Committee to discuss and settle. He asked me to comment on the idea of a compromise solution that I had mentioned before—9 Communist delegates, four each from the other two minority parties and 3 non-party members. This I did.
The Generalissimo stated that he was unwilling to have his representative participate in a meeting of the Committee of Three until the Stuart Group had met and made some definite progress.
He was disturbed over a press report that Doctor Stuart had stated that a National Assembly meeting without the Communists would be ineffective or abortive. He stated that the meeting would be held with or without the Communists.
- Colonel Caughey in telegram No. 1514, September 16, had reported to General Marshall that “Chou En-lai wound up his affairs in Nanking this afternoon by sending three memorandums to you” and then briefly described SM 820, September 15; MM 145, September 15; and SM 827, September 16.↩