Sunday, 10 December

Snow, cold

In the morning I received a phone call from the French Embassy, saying De Gaulle would take the train to leave Moscow at 10.00 this morning but by the time I received the call it was already 9.30. I was unable to go then and I thought they shouldn’t blame me.

The Italian Ambassador told me last night that the Italian Government originally suggested to the Allies that Italy wanted to continue its Consulate in Romania, but both the Soviet Union and Britain were against it. The Italian government cabled him, asking him to persuade the Soviet Union. The telegram was delayed for six days. But suddenly the Soviet Government changed its attitude, informing him that they did not oppose Italy to continuing with its Consulate in Romania. The Italian Government did not know the Soviet side had changed its attitude, and did not know about the telegram delay either. It then praised him for his success in dealing with the matter. That telegram arrived at the same time as the previous telegram, which came as a nice surprise. Things in the universe are always like this. We always said that we do the best and God will do the rest. I strongly believe in karma and the will of God, therefore I do not view it as a mysterious thing.

France and the Soviet Union signed an alliance pact yesterday, which is more or less the same as those between Britian and the Soviet Union. Garreau had told me about it.

Yesterday our army recovered Dushan. Minister Chen Cheng said that the danger of invasion by the enemy has passed. I felt relieved.

Sir Eric Teichman was assassinated at his home three days ago. I guessed it was probably revenge for a private grudge. He was talented but mean. He stayed in China for many years but did not have many good feelings towards China. This made me believe even more the saying of karma.

I wrote letters to Huimei and Zhongxiong.