Friday, 28 January
Fourth day of the first lunar month, Jiashen year
Today was my 49th birthday. I had a most unpleasant night, and I could not sleep until 7.00 in the morning. I dreamt of beloved (?) who wrote to me to separate, and the wording was very sad. I read the letter over and over, and my pillow was filled with my tears. Alas, I did not know why I was so sad. Perhaps she had her own reasons for breaking up with me. I thought I should release her, so as not to cause her more pain. What I could do was to praise and hope she’d have a bright future. Hereafter my heart would be like dead ash, her love would be buried with my body in the coffin. When I woke up I was in tears and I could still feel the pain. This was the commencement of my 49th year. I had better watch myself.
The British intelligence service said yesterday that the Yugoslavian Army Minister, General Mihailovic, was suspected of treason. The Allied countries are now gathering evidence. If evidence is found then they will cease diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. The Yugoslavian Government is in a difficult position and the situation of the Yugoslavian, King Peter II, is even more pitiful. Probably Mihailovic’s policy to compromise with the enemy, is to retain his power. In this way, he can use his strength to suppress opponents (leftist and rather progressive elements). After Germany’s collapse he will then still have great military power on hand to stabilise his own position. This policy is against righteousness and justice, and should not be tolerated by the Allied army who have fought bitterly in the war. Unfortunately, the King is very young and ignorant. People around him are mainly anti-reactionary and selfish. They have tried their best to sponsor Mihailovic’s plan, but this has given the Yugoslavian Government a great dilemma. People have no choice but to recognise General Tito’s military association resisting Germany and the liberation as the legitimacy of Yugoslavia. Recently many small states in Europe have wanted to retain their own power. They wanted other people to shed blood and do the liberation job for them. If they are required to make even a slight sacrifice, they are unwilling to yield and will yell. These small states only want to take advantage of strong countries, and this can only lead to bad results. A small state that can act like a great statesman, like Dongli Zichan (東里子產)[1], is rare in both China and the world. So we shouldn’t expect that such a thing will now happen in the small states of Europe. Last night the Yugoslavian Ambassador, Simic and his wife, invited us to a banquet and I thought it inappropriate to ask him what was happening in Yugoslavia, but his situation is certainly grave.
The Soviet Supreme Committee held a conference at the Grand Hall of the Kremlin at 7.00 p.m. The Diplomatic Corps were also invited to sit in. I went with Secretary Gou. There was no opening ceremony. After the Chairman announced the opening of the conference, the Minister of Finance proposed his budget, and explained it for an hour and a half. The conference then ended.
Originally, I planned to invite the Australian Counsellor, Officer, to the Cossack restaurant for a farewell dinner with him. Unfortunately I received a phone call from the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 4.00 p.m. to go and sit in the conference. I had no choice but to ask Mr. Shaozhou to represent me and I sent a letter to the Counsellor to apologise. I also could not manage to prepare dinner, so I could only have the two pieces of birthday cake that Attaché Hu gave me. Every year on my birthday there are normally many social functions and I ate too much to the point of nausea. This year I had nothing to eat. I smiled to myself. I talked with Hu about her work.
[1] A great statesman in Ancient China.