Dushiqiao

Monday, 19 February

In the morning Xie Baoqiao came. He said he had heard that Nanning had been recovered. If this is the case it can be certain that our side has scored a military victory.

Lou Tongsun came and said he heard before the sixth Plenum Meeting that General Chiang asked the various military leaders to study diplomatic issues and they would be summoned by Cheng Qian (程潛).[1] Chen Cheng and others wanted to raise the issue of H.H. Kung’s dismissal. Cheng Qian replied seriously that military men should not interfere in internal politics. He asked if they wanted to be military governors’ corps or usurp power, and then cancelled the motion. On knowing this General Chiang praised Cheng Qian’s professionalism. (Chen Cheng and others wanted to put Song Ziwen in power.)

[1] Cheng Qian(1882-1968) had studied in Japan and was a senior military leader in the Nationalist Government.