Sunday, 15 August

A telegram from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Associated Press published a long article from the Soviet Union’s War and Working Class magazine. It first described the Chinese War of Resistance, then the merits of the CCP, and tried its best to attack the Chinese Government. With regard to the “suppression” of the 8^th and 4^th army, the article believed that it came from those who advocated pacifism and compromise in the Central Government, which is very bad for the future of the Chinese War of Resistance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked me to cable back the original text, and this article has already aroused a big reaction in China. Minister Zhang Daofan criticised this article and made a declaration when he received reporters, he said that within the Central Government there was no one who advocated pacifism and compromise. Newspapers like Dagongbao refuted this rumour in their editorials. As for the Soviet magazine saying the central army had already encircled the 8^th army and the 4^th CCP army, with regard to the actual details I know nothing here. If this is true, it would affect my work here a lot. When one is a civil servant, it would be so much better if everything went smoothly. But if not, one just has to try his best and handle things with faith. The rest is beyond our control.