Office of the Historian

The Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Soong) to Mr. Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt 94a

[Washington,] 21 July, 1943.

Dear Harry: My departure has been delayed till tomorrow morning owing to engine trouble.

[Page 79]

Generalissimo cabled me that it would be awkward for United Nations’ relations, and Sino-Russian relations in particular, if he goes thru Siberia without seeing Stalin. Therefore he prefers the rendezvous to be somewhere else than Alaska.

If the President desires to advance the date of the meeting to some time in August or September, he would be able to make it, provided he is given two weeks’ notice.

He requests me to proceed to London according to programme, but to be in readiness to return & participate in the conference whenever the President desires it.

Hoping that you will have a nice little rest in New Hampshire

Sincerely

T. V. [Soong]
  1. Copy obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N. Y.↩