Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Notes by General Marshall of Meeting With Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek at Nanking, May 22, 1946
Following almost daily discussions with the Generalissimo regarding the detailed terms for the military settlement, the redistribution of troops as a condition precedent to the issuance of the cease firing order and the tentative arrangement whereby the Communists would voluntarily evacuate Changchun and an advance section of Executive Headquarters would take over control of that city pending a further settlement regarding Changchun and the Manchurian area to the north, I was advised on this evening by the Generalissimo that he had not heard from his military leaders in Manchuria for three days. He [Page 881] feared that following their success at Ssupingkai, they were proceeding on into Changchun. He stated his agreement with me that their occupation of Changchun in advance of the basis of agreement with the Communists practically completed would be inadvisable. He told me, therefore, that he was leaving for Mukden to get control of the situation. I asked him when he was departing and he said the day after tomorrow. I expressed the thought that if the situation was as he feared it to be, that would represent too much of a delay. He stated that he had an engagement the next day with a mission from Tibet which he would have to keep.
I found that, though rather indisposed, the Generalissimo desired Madame Chiang to accompany him. I offered my plane for the trip, it being a safer machine for such a flight than a two-engined C–47. This was accepted.
There was a further discussion of the various factors in the case, but no change in the general understanding of the basis for an agreement which had just about been reached by both sides.
The Generalissimo told me that he might return from Mukden within 24 hours or it might be as much as four days. I expressed the hope that he return at as early a date as possible in order that we might proceed with negotiations to completion.