Sunday, 11 June

Fine, sun

The Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs telephoned me and said I could go with Shaozhou and Daichu to accompany the American Ambassador, Harriman, to take the same flight to Tashkent. I immediately asked Daichu to contact the American Embassy.

The German broadcast said that Changsha fell yesterday. It also said that the fighting power of our army was quite weak and they retreated the day before yesterday.  As a result the Japanese army entered the city facing no resistance. I am very disheartened.

In the evening there was a gun salute in Moscow, celebrating the attack on the northern area of the Soviet-Finn border by the Red Army today. They have already broken through the enemy defence line. This line is 40km long, 30km have been broken through, and they have advanced 15km and occupied Terjoki. Then the Soviet army in the East line will join the attack on the German army at the same time. Victory will come soon.

The Turkish broadcast said the French Committee of National Liberation has formally informed the British, American and Soviet Governments that it has now become the French Provisional Government but has had no response. I thought that this move from De Gaulle was a bit hasty, as the committee itself has no strength and it still depends on others for ammunition and others. Charles de Gaulle makes unilateral decisions when he encounters problems. He manipulates the differences between Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union to stabilise his own position. It certainly will not yield a good result. With regard to Eisenhower’s recent proclamation, De Gaulle disagreed with it and he opposes the issue of giving military currency for the Allied Army. This shouldn’t be coming from one who only possesseds common political knowledge. The threat and survival of a country really has so much to do with its leaders.