Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Meeting Between General Marshall and Dr. Stuart46 at No. 5 Ning Hai Road, Nanking, October 13, 1946, 3 p.m.
| Also present: | Colonel Caughey47 |
Doctor Stuart began the meeting by informing General Marshall that he had just had a talk with Mister S. M. Liang, member of the Democratic League. Mister Liang stated that the culmination of recent events, particularly the capture of Kalgan, followed closely by the National Government’s issuance of an order for convocation of the National Assembly has created a condition which makes the Communist Party and minor parties extremely apprehensive as to the possibility of continuing negotiations. Further, the Communist Party and minor parties feel that this, for China, is the initial step towards Fascism. Doctor Stuart reported that Mister Liang continued by stating that the only hope for continued negotiations is a joint resolution of the various outstanding political questions, after which, and again by joint action, a date for convocation of the National Assembly is selected.
Mister Liang further related to Doctor Stuart that he felt the only present opening for continued negotiations is for General Marshall and Dr. Stuart to approach the Generalissimo48 in an effort to find out what political plans the Generalissimo now had and, based on that, develop a new means for bringing together the National and Communist representatives in the three man and five man committees.
Mr. Liang had also suggested the possibility of Dr. Stuart and General Marshall proceeding to Shanghai for the purpose of meeting the minor parties, who had sworn allegiance to act as a body in any attempt to resume negotiations. General Marshall stated that he did not believe a trip to Shanghai at this particular time would [Page 363] assist. He was agreeable, however, to approaching the Generalissimo in an effort to determine what the Generalissimo now had in mind and, from that, to determine what steps might now be taken to resolve the various issues. He was not certain that the Young China Party was formally committed to the extent indicated by Mr. Liang.
General Marshall informed Doctor Stuart that it probably would not be a propitious time for him (General Marshall) to give to the Generalissimo the previously prepared statement for the Generalissimo to issue.