Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and Dr. Stuart at Nanking, October 14, 1946, 5 p.m.
| Also present: | Colonel Caughey |
Dr. Stuart and General Marshall agreed that it was an appropriate time for them to transmit to the Generalissimo a copy of the proposed statement54 for release by the Generalissimo which General Marshall had prepared (Statement was dispatched to the Generalissimo through General Pee).
Dr. Stuart stated that Mr. Sun Fo had told him that General Chou was ready to return to Nanking after the capture of Kalgan, but he had changed his plan when he had heard of the Government’s arbitrary mandate concerning the convocation of the National Assembly.
Dr. Stuart handed General Marshall a copy of a memorandum55 (attached) reportedly given by the Generalissimo to Mr. Sun Fo concerning [Page 367] the measures which the Government is prepared to initiate. Dr. Stuart continued by stating that this memorandum was taken by Mr. Sun Fo to Shanghai and that he (Mr. Sun Fo) would reconvene the minor party group upon his return for the purpose of discussing the Generalissimo’s measures.
Dr. Stuart stated that he had seen the Generalissimo a little earlier this day and that the Generalissimo said he is ready to issue a termination of hostility order as soon as the Three Man and Five Man Committees meet. The Generalissimo, however, added that he wanted a guarantee from the American mediators that the Communists will conduct themselves during the negotiation in good faith.
With reference to the Generalissimo’s desires for guarantee, General Marshall said that it would be equally impossible for the American mediators to guarantee the actions of the Communists as it would be for the Generalissimo to guarantee the activities of people like Chen Li-fu and other reactionaries in the Kuomintang.
Dr. Stuart concluded the meeting by stating that the Generalissimo had told him the atmosphere in Peiping on the part of the Communists had now changed to one of politeness toward Americans and Government representatives.