Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and Dr. Stuart at Dr. Stuart’s Residence, Nanking, November 7, 1946, 10:30 a.m.
| Also present: | Col. Caughey |
General Marshall opened the meeting by asking Dr. Stuart what his reactions were to the Generalissimo’s proposed statement.63 Dr. Stuart replied that there were many parts that he thought should be deleted and continued to enumerate the various deletions throughout the nine page document. Dr. Stuart added that the Generalissimo seemed very repetitious. Dr. Stuart thought that the Generalissimo might improve his statement by reiterating the four previous promises concerning: 1) Freedom of speech, religion, etc.; 2) Rights of political parties; 3) Public elections; 4) Release of political prisoners.
General Marshall said that he had been so discouraged upon reading the statement that he felt a completely new statement would have to be prepared. The Generalissimo’s provocative, confusing, and irritating language so submerged the principal idea of the cessation of hostilities that the true significance of a statement would be lost.…
Dr. Stuart said that there were only two ways of handling the matter: 1) To make various deletions, and 2) to rewrite the whole [Page 482] paper. Dr. Stuart suggested that General Marshall attempt to rewrite the paper. To this General Marshall acceded and concluded with the statement to the effect that the only real explanation needed in connection with issuing a public statement was the careful outlining of the necessity for the convocation of the National Assembly on the scheduled date.
- Supra.↩