45 “no permanently safe international relations” Donovan, Conflict, 93; “decide to give active support” Feis, China, 389.
47 Acheson, would make sure Papers Vol. 5, 376; “rear echelon” Acheson, Sketches, 150.
47 one other assurance Papers Vol. 5, 395.
47 “might by some chance” Papers Vol. 5, 384.
47 National airport GCMRL newsreels.
48 “the most difficult” Marshall cable, 10 December 1945, GCM Papers 124/40, GCMRL; “Upon General Marshall” Washington Post 11 December 1945; “armed for years” Time 10 December 1945; “The situation in China” Marshall cable, 4 December 1945, GCM Papers 124/40, GCMRL.
48 “bitter blow,” “I give a sickly smile” KTM to McCarthy, Frank McCarthy Papers 1, GCMRL.
48 sense of duty James Shepley Oral History, GCMRL; “a great honor” Wilson to GCM, 20 December 1945, GCM Papers 124/12, GCMRL; “one-man task” Page to GCM, 5 June 1946, GCM Papers 123/29, GCMRL; “graveyard for American officials” Spence, To Change, 266.
48 Stilwell visit Henry Byroade Oral History, GCMRL.
48–49 a few months Marshall, Together, 283; departure GCMRL newsreels.
49 “the bravest man” E. J. Kahn Jr., The China Hands, 184.
3. Marshall Is Too Big
50 “walking in the fog” John F. Melby, The Mandate of Heaven, 52; “so many threads” JM to Hellman, 28 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
50 rained, clouds Melby, Mandate, 67; “Everybody scurrying” JM to Hellman, 19 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
51 he thought back Marshall interviews, 132.
51 on long flights Frank McCarthy Oral History, GCMRL; “plushest” JHC to Betty Caughey, 2 May 1946, JHC Papers 2/8, GCMRL; fast-rising AW to GCM, 2 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 1, NARA; “never at a loss” JM to Hellman, 3 January 1946, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “without anyone” Papers Vol. 5, 406.
51 rough plan FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 776–777; odds Henry Byroade Oral History, GCMRL.
51–52 Shanghai arrival GCMRL newsreels, Chicago Tribune 21 December 1945; Wedemeyer conversation Wedemeyer later became associated with the McCarthyite right and, shortly before Marshall’s death, published a vicious attack on his former chief in a book called Wedemeyer Reports! Among other things, he reported that he had found Marshall exhausted and not up to the task, and told him that it could not be done—supposedly eliciting a tantrum from Marshall. While Marshall was certainly tired, and others in meetings agree that Marshall had been warned about the difficulty of success (as if he were not already well aware of it), the story as Wedemeyer later told it is contradicted by considerable evidence, including Wedemeyer’s own words from the time and others’ firsthand accounts, such as that of Walter Robertson. Wedemeyer’s report became a widely repeated part of the story, but his charges are mostly fanciful, concocted for the sake of a political takedown after the fact.
52 “source of energy,” “role model” Orville Schell, Wealth and Power, 178; unpresentable CKS diary, 22 December 1945, Hoover.
52 back of the car GCMRL photographs; almost midnight CKS diary, 22 December 1945, Hoover.
52–53 “same stake” CKS diary, 21 December 1945, Hoover; “cannot emulate” CKS diary, 21 December 1945, Hoover; Marshall wanted Marshall interviews, 607; Marshall statements GCM-CKS meeting notes, 21 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 20, NARA.
53 “excellent impression” AW to Hurley, 24 December 1945, AW Papers 81/36, Hoover; “deference” Spector, In the Ruins, 215; “deceptive propaganda” CKS diary, 21 December 1945, Hoover; “The more deferential” CKS diary, 22 December 1945, Hoover.
53 mood Melby, Mandate, 67; “fix everything” JM to Hellman, 4 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; instantaneous lull Washington Post 22 December 1945; optimistic statements New York Times 23 December 1945.
53 national anthems New York Times 23 December 1945.
53 “Is Marshall” JM to Hellman, 19 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
54 “prince-of-the-blood” Papers Vol. 1, 263; “unbelievable luxury” Papers Vol. 1, 235; “cheap liquor” Papers Vol. 1, 273; venereal disease Luther D. Miller Oral History, GCMRL.
54 “interesting events” Papers Vol. 1, 274.
54–55 “in the midst” Papers Vol. 1, 270; “very lucky” Papers Vol. 1, 271; guns Papers Vol. 1, 283; rail lines, blockades Papers Vol. 1, 286; maintaining order Marshall interviews, 119; “Can Do” Tuchman, Stilwell, 99; “leadership and ability” Papers Vol. 1, 271; “A Chinese soldier” Papers Vol. 1, 272; watched refugees Papers Vol. 1, 284.
55 ordered other officers Newell to Allen, 16 March 1926, GCM Papers 8/27, GCMRL; “without provoking” Papers Vol. 1, 299; 2,500 characters Papers Vol. 1, 294; “grunt and whine” Papers Vol. 1, 275; “treaty rights,” “wranglings” Papers Vol. 1, 281; “quite a Chinaman” Papers Vol. 1, 277.
55 “rarely judge” Papers Vol. 1, 274; “no one ventures” Papers Vol. 1, 266.
55 ominous implications Papers Vol. 1, 277; “strong man” Papers Vol. 1, 271.
55 “Profound change” Taylor, Generalissimo, 48.
56 his flaws Taylor, Generalissimo, 30; “meticulous self-control” Jonathan Fenby, Chiang Kai-shek, 69; Every morning Taylor, Generalissimo, 17; “loved to make decisions” Mitter, Forgotten, 33.
56 upright stone Taylor, Generalissimo, 11; “utter depression” Fenby, Chiang, 43; prostitutes Taylor, Generalissimo, 18; sterile Taylor, Generalissimo, 34; eating simply, Taylor, Generalissimo, 40; “From this day on” Schell, Wealth, 188–189.
57 Ho Chi Minh Westad, Restless, 200; Soviet advisers, Taylor, Generalissimo, 54.
57 “I treat them” Taylor, Generalissimo, 55; “a peculiar person” Spence, To Change, 195; “like a lemon” Philip Short, Mao, 178; $80,000 Gao Wenqian, Zhou Enlai, 57.
57 “The Japanese” Thomas D. Lutze, China’s Inevitable Revolution, 22; Hemingway Peter Moreira, Hemingway on the China Front, 204.
58 pieces of a modern state Lloyd E. Eastman, Seeds of Destruction, 1; Unity rested on deals Taylor, Generalissimo, 86; Supposed commitments Taylor, Generalissimo, 107; “After a long waiting” Lloyd D. Eastman, Abortive Revolution, 266.
58–59 imperfect Mandarin Schell, Wealth, 173; “traditional virtues” Schell, Wealth, 187; bible daily Pakula, Last, 214; “bear the cross” Taylor, Generalissimo, 109; “He has come” Jespersen, American Images, 37.
59 15 million dead, 80 million displaced Mitter, Forgotten, 5; “trusting no one” Tuchman, Stilwell, 480; sacrificed little Eastman, Seeds, 64; “man-made famine” Eastman, Seeds, 68; Yellow River dikes Mitter, Forgotten, 163; cholera, plague, malaria Paine, Wars, 137; “seething with unrest” Eastman, Seeds, 70.
59 Chiang reflected Fenby, Chiang, 452.
60 “Marshall is too big” Westad, Decisive, 52.
60 China important CKS diary, 28 November 1945, Hoover; Stalin must think CKS diary, 3 December 1945, Hoover; “not in line” CKS diary, 18 December 1945, Hoover.
60 “When Marshall asked” Harold M. Tanner, The Battle for Manchuria and the Fate of China, 83.
60–61 “utterly feudal” Mitter, Forgotten, 173; high officials Peck, Two Kinds, 51; “a county seat” White, Thunder Out of China, 8; population Paine, Wars, 135.
61 Madame Chiang wrote Pakula, Last, 354; “most bombed out” Pocket Guide to China, AW Papers 87/3, Hoover; wash their clothes Peck, Two Kinds, 87; “unbeatable” Pocket Guide to China, AW Papers 87/3, Hoover.
61 “The prevailing” Harold M. Tanner, Where Chiang Kai-shek Lost China, 37; “rather medieval court intrigue” Somervell to GCM, 24 October 1943, GCM Papers 60/54, GCMRL; “yells, bells, and smells” Gillem journal notes, 7 February 1946, Alvan Gillem Papers, MHI.
61–62 charged with keeping tabs Melby, Mandate, 22; “dreary expanse” JM to Hellman, 12 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “you feel” JM to Hellman, 30 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “a local gin” JM to Hellman, 5 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; navy doctor JM to Hellman, 31 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL
; “the most foul” Gillem diary, 15 March 1946, Alvan Gillem Papers, MHI; rats, peddlers, and power outages Ralph Clough Oral History, Foreign Service Oral History Program, LOC; squeals of pigs JHC to Betty Caughey, 4 December 1945, JHC Papers 2/6, GCMRL; “Sing Sing” Melby, Mandate, 40; “Time means” Melby, Mandate, 53.
62 deep brown mud Melby, Mandate, 28; Happiness Gardens Taylor, Generalissimo, 333; water heater Eng to Caraway, 25 December 1945, Paul Caraway Papers, MHI; house Description based on personal visit.
62 white hope Roger B. Jeans, The Marshall Mission to China, 236; press speculation South China Morning Post 3 December 1945; official chatter JM to Hellman, 19 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
62–63 “You arrive here” Hu to GCM, 14 January 1946, GCM Papers 123/36, GCMRL; “mad with joy” National Central University students to GCM, 23 April 1946, GCM Papers 123/24, GCMRL; “sincere Christians” Chang et al. to GCM, 1 January 1946, GCM Papers 122/15, GCMRL; Others denounced Antung representatives to GCM, GCM Papers 123/16, GCMRL; postal . . . “poorly educated” Embassy summary of letters to GCM, GCM Papers 123/24, GCMRL; “number one boy” GCM to Hsieh, 10 May 1946, GCM Papers 123/4, GCMRL; former cook GCM to Rockey, 6 February 1946, GCM Papers 123/35, GCMRL; discarded novels Group letter to GCM, 29 April 1946, GCM Papers 124, GCMRL; borrow his airplane Chang to GCM, 27 April 1946, GCM Papers 122/15, GCMRL.
63 “great Christian republic” Clovelly to GCM, 12 January 1947, GCM Papers 122/45, GCMRL; Churchill Churchill to GCM, 4 April 1946, GCM Papers 122/25, GCMRL; clover Stark to GCM, 15 December 1945, GCM Papers 123/42, GCMRL.
63 relevant files FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 776; “pungent collection” Yu, OSS, 109; “gestapo atmosphere” JM to Hellman, 2 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “Just fiddling” JM to Hellman, 14 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
64 trailed or bugged JM to Hellman, 13 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “I wish to Christ” JM to Hellman, 18 February 1946, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
64 “a natural” JM to Hellman, 28 November 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “a national hero” Yeaton to AW, 16 December 1945, AW Papers 91/8, Hoover.
64 Marshall wanted FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 804; “All Fighting Ceases” Washington Post 18 December 1945.
64–65 “We are gratified” New York Times 17 December 1945; Chiang asserted GCM-CKS meeting notes, 21 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 20, NARA; Communist spokesmen New York Times 15 December 1945; The government praised . . . the Communists New York Times 16 December 1945; “All official attitudes” JM to Hellman, 17 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
65 “decided not to” Zhang Baijia in Bland, George C. Marshall’s, 210; CCP’s strategy Niu Jun in Bland, George C. Marshall’s, 242; “Russian-style Communism” Marshall cable, 6 December 1945, GCM Papers 124/40, GCMRL; “Communist attitude” FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 705; “If Marshall uses” Westad, Cold War, 138.
65–66 Marshall-Zhou meeting GCM-Zhou meeting notes, 25 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 20, NARA; delightful Han Suyin, Eldest Son, 192.
66 “a genuine interest” Papers Vol. 5, 404; “we have called” New York Times, 17 December 1945; string of questions GCM-Soong meeting notes, 24 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 20, NARA; dissident government figures, women GCM Memorandum on China for HST, 18 May 1954, GCM Papers 241/5, GCMRL; “listen more” FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 804.
66–67 meet with reporters GCM press conference transcript, 24 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 20, NARA; “foolish” New York Times 25 December 1945; “it will be some time” Washington Post 25 December 1945; rain-slicked JM to Hellman, 23 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; number of steps New York Times 25 December 1945; “no opinion” New York Times 23 December 1945; cease-fire by Christmas New York Times 23 December 1945; “special fancy” News summary in JM to Hellman, 30 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
67 “Marshall has” JM to Hellman, 28 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL.
67 “Women Communists” New York Times 23 December 1945; eggnog JM to Hellman, 23 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; fifteen-minute conversation Washington Post 25 December 1945; the Zhous Melby, Mandate, 69; “handle the Communists” Melby, Mandate, 69.
67–68 Christmas Day at the Chiangs’ Melby, Mandate, 144; “a good show” Caraway personal correspondence, 27 April 1947, Paul Caraway Papers, MHI.
68 Martha Washington, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Florence Nightingale Pakula, Last, 304–305, 379; Zeus, Snow White List of aliases, John Paton Davies Papers 11/4, HSTL.
68 “Vogue cover” Jespersen, American Images, 100; “suppressed neigh” Pakula, Last, 471; “lovely legs” Moreira, Hemingway, 142; “so delightful” Pakula, Last, 326; “sex appeal” Pakula, Last, 440; “charm the birds” Pakula, Last, 326; “a man’s job” Tuchman, Stilwell, 281; minister of war Jack Belden, China Shakes the World, 435.
69 Gettysburg Address Pakula, Last, 52.
69 “Scarlett O’Hara accent” Pakula, Last, 24; “masculine brain” Jespersen, American Images, 82; “charm and poise” W. H. Auden, Journey to a War, 55.
69 “Our wedding” Pakula, Last, 183; half his achievements Pakula, Last, 199; Book of Jeremiah Taylor, Generalissimo, 133; “da” Taylor, Generalissimo, 76.
69–70 “Madame’s body” Jespersen, American Images, 82; “forthright American” Jespersen, American Images, 54; 30,000, 17,000 Jespersen, American Images, 99; Hayworth, Temple, Bergman Pakula, Last, 438; China market Pakula, Last, 437; “Lord helps” Pakula, Last, 423; Congress, “We welcome” Pakula, Last, 422; “most powerful” Pakula, Last, 277.
70 “prima donna . . . live democracy” Marshall cable, 5 December 1945, GCM Papers 124/40, GCMRL; greed and corruption Peck, Two Kinds, 81; “greatest crook” Beal, Marshall, 5; gossip Decades later, someone who had gone on a wartime goodwill tour with the rakish former presidential candidate Wendell Willkie wrote that Willkie and Madame Chiang spent a night together, with Willkie emerging to tell giddy tales after the Generalissimo and a coterie of guards interrupted them. True or not, it does indicate the place she occupied in the minds of men like Willkie at the time, and the nature of the gossip; vase Taylor, Generalissimo, 276; impregnated John S. Service, Lost Chance in China, 94.
70 influence over Chiang Marshall interviews, 607; Chiang wanted her Beal, Marshall, 247.
70–71 Chiang felt at ease CKS diary, 26 December 1945, Hoover; “delightful smile” Henry A. Wallace, The Price of Vision, 279; “massage his ego” Peter Chen-Main Wang, “Revisiting U.S.-China Wartime Relations,” 241; insufficiently skeptical CKS diary, 26 December 1945, Hoover.
71 took the time to write the report himself Jeans, Marshall Mission, 13; “possibility of a leak” GCM to HST, 1 January 1946, Naval Aide Files 8/9, HST Papers, HSTL.
71 Marshall’s message GCM to HST, 1 January 1946, Naval Aide Files 8/9, HST Papers, HSTL.
72 “Soviet intent” GCM to Byrnes, 26 December 1945, Marshall Mission Records 1, NARA; Stalin belittled FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 841; “boasters” Harriman, Special Envoy, 527; “not real Communists” Feis, China, 140; “not intentionally” Westad, Cold War, 163.
72 likely to follow FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 825; Marshall could James F. Byrnes, Speaking Frankly, 227–228; statesman FRUS 1945 Vol. 7, 850.
4. The Committee of Three
73 left side of the road to the right AW to Dade Wedemeyer, 24 December 1945, AW Papers 80/19, Hoover.
73 “He just sits” Melby, Mandate, 76; 150 guests Undated clipping, GCM Papers 24/12, GCMRL; told his staff Tanner, Battle, 86; took offense Chen Li-fu Oral History, Columbia University Library.
74 “the next war” JHC to Betty Caughey, 29 December 1945, JHC Papers 2/7, GCMRL; “a lonely man” JHC to Betty Caughey, 1 January 1946, JHC Papers 2/7, GCMRL.
74 “I’ve never seen” JHC to Betty Caughey, 4 January 1946, JHC Papers 2/7, GCMRL; maybe sick JM to Hellman, 24 December 1945, JM Papers 36, HSTL; On the contrary Others, including David Barrett and Wang Shih-chieh in their oral history interviews with Forrest Pogue, also reject the notion that Marshall was too exhaus
ted to be effective. This assertion became part of later attacks. Wedemeyer would make the charge, though his letters from the time contradict it, with commentary on Marshall’s energy and drive; “ball of fire” Jeans, Marshall Mission, 71.
75 “You are only conscious” JHC to Betty Caughey, 4 January 1946, JHC Papers 2/7, GCMRL; wicked memory Marshall, Together, 9; skim a memo John E. Hull Oral History, GCMRL; nine newspapers Marshall interviews, 486; impatient Reuben Jenkins Oral History, GCMRL; “one mistake” JM to Hellman, 20 March 1946, JM Papers 36, HSTL; “a bald eagle” David D. Barrett Oral History, GCMRL.
75 veterans warned Henry Byroade Oral History, GCMRL; “He does not like” JHC to Betty Caughey, 2 February 1946, JHC Papers 2/7, GCMRL; “I must have” Ricks, Generals, 47.
75–76 directness, indefinite pronoun JHC to Betty Caughey, 16 November 1946, JHC Papers 2/11, GCMRL; “greatest course” George V. Underwood Oral History, GCMRL; “The General will” JHC to Betty Caughey, 6 June 1946, JHC Papers 2/9, GCMRL; smoking Melby, Mandate, 186.
76 “varsity ball” Carter to JHC, 30 July 1946, JHC Papers 1/2, GCMRL; “to learn at firsthand” Papers Vol. 5, 697; “Formidable yes” JHC to Betty Caughey, 6 June 1946, JHC Papers 2/9, GCMRL.
76 “promise for the future” JHC to Betty Caughey, 4 January 1946, JHC Papers 2/7, GCMRL.
76 Chang Chun description Howard L. Boorman, Biographical Dictionary of Republican China, Vol. 1, 47.
77 actor, female roles Gao, Zhou, 29; even Chiang Fenby, Chiang, 340.
77 Gellhorn, Hemingway Moreira, Hemingway, 129; expressive eyebrows Davies, Dragon, 347.
77 “run-down aristocratic” Gao, Zhou, 87; his parents Dick Wilson, Zhou Enlai, 20; “Paris is beautiful” Wilson, Zhou, 57; discussion groups, read Marx Wilson, Zhou, 55.
77 turning cadets Gao, Zhou, 51; during this crackdown Gao, Zhou, 54.
78 savage father Short, Mao, 30; Zhou conceded Gao, Zhou, 87; “good little children” Short, Mao, 392.
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