Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Meeting Between Dr. Stuart and Colonel Hutchin at the American Embassy, Nanking, August 28, 1946, 6:15 p.m.
Dr. Stuart: The reason I wanted to talk to you was that I had a question I wish to put to General Marshall. It is one that really developed out of my conversation this afternoon with General Chou.
[Page 91]Certainly we are all agreed that it is best to stop the fighting at once. I recall that General Marshall put a question to the Generalissimo concerning the cessation of hostilities, to which the Generalissimo replied that that would be as soon as the Communists stop their fighting. I reported this to General Chou and I asked him if there was any hope of stopping this fighting, I put it to him this way:
Supposing that Mao Tse Tung issued an order from the Communist Headquarters in Yenan which directed the Communist Field Commanders to stop all fighting and to do this within some stipulated period, say for example three or four days. Then should General Marshall with all his prestige and stature remind the Generalissimo of what he said at this meeting in Kuling yesterday, what would be the action of the Generalissimo? Would he give the same order to his field commanders? General Chou seems to think that the Communists are ready to give such an order providing that General Marshall followed up and brought pressure to bear on the Generalissimo to do the same.
It does seem to me that the time has come for Americans to put definite pressure on the Generalissimo. We can threaten him by all sorts of financial and material means but I hate to resort to such actions when it is not absolutely necessary. Here there may be a shortcut. Should the Generalissimo prove unwilling to issue orders similar to those already issued by Mao Tze Tung, a statement announcing this to the world coming from a world wide figure like General Marshall would probably force the Generalissimo into a position where he would have to comply.
I am not advocating or advising this step to him, only considering it. I wanted to put it to General Marshall as sort of food for thought. I have felt all along that the Generalissimo has wanted to take this step but hates to take it or to go against his followers. His mind says he must do it some time but he would like to put it off as long as possible in order to have the most advantageous military position. Certainly the cessation of hostilities would be to the interest of everyone and especially to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.