Wednesday, 15 March

At noon, I studied Russian. (We have changed to Monday, Wednesday and Friday.)

At 6.00 p.m., the Dutch Ambassador and his wife invited me for afternoon tea. The Norwegian Military Attaché General Steffens said there were rumours that the German army in North Finland is going to retreat to Norway. In the future, when the Soviet army pursues them, they might enter Norwegian territory. This will be a problem. The French Ambassador, Garreau, said that he could guarantee that the Red Army will not go into Norwegian territory, because Soviet policy at the moment is to avoid any suspicions by others that it has bad intentions towards the Northern European countries. What he said seemed reasonable.

The American newspapers reported that the Soviet Union suggested to Finland that the Finnish army shouldn’t immediately oppose and fight against Germany, and the Red Army could deal with the German army in North Finland on behalf of Finland. The Soviet army would then retreat from the Finnish border. The British broadcast also said that Finland’s counter-proposal has been turned down by the Soviet Union, and it demanded Finland accept the original Soviet proposal issued before the deadline.

I received news from the Ministry of Military Instruction, saying that they had received information that the enemy’s army and navy in South China would be changed to come under the direction of the Taiwan military headquarters. Also they had information that the enemy army in South China aimed to open the land transportation route from Vietnam to Leizhou Peninsula, so they would try to take Lianzhou and Qinzhou in two months time. As the networks among Japan Proper, Indochina and Nanyang would possibley be cut off by the Allies so they wanted to open the transportation line between Vietnam and Leizhou Peninsula, so as to prepare for overland supply or retreat.

Yesterday I received Liqian ‘s telegram on 12 March, saying that at 8.00 on 11 March ten Soviet planes flow from Outer Mongolia to the sky in the area of our garrison at A’ertai Mountain, bombarded and shot, and helped the advance of the Mongolian army. At 1.00 p.m. two more Soviet planes came to shoot and make reconnaissance. That the Soviet Union did it openly implied that this action was planned, or it was to help military matters at Shanbei. Liqian thought that the matter was serious and had the possibility to escalate, so he filed his protest to the Soviet Consulate. Tonight I received his telegram on 14 March, saying that on 12 and 13 March Soviet planes bombarded and made reconnaissance again. The wings of the planes had five-cornered red insignia. He had already combined the indictment and protested to the Soviet Consulate. But the Soviet Consulate refused to accept it, claiming the red star mark on the wing could be forged implying that the planes did not come from the Soviet Union but could be from Outer Mongolia. He said that this seemed to be a hatched condemnation of the Soviet relationship (with China). Liquan thought that this move from the Soviet Union is to interfere in our military matters against the rebels at Shanbei. If our Central Government can show the utmost determination to defend Xinjiang, then the Soviet Union might back down. It seemed the situation was better than his report on 12 March. I, Shaozhou and Jingchen all thought that if it is not aroused by the misunderstanding of purging rebels in the border, it is at most to show its dislike to Sheng Shicai, but not to interfere in the military matters at Shanbei as Liqian first reported. I then immediately replied to Liquan and just asked him to cable the latest situation to us. It was because I thought it was better to treat it as a local tiny matter first and to negotiate locally and for it not to be blown up.

Bingkun also sent me a telegram. With regard to the matter that Qiongfang wanted to move out, I cabled to reply to just let her do so, and Bingkun could see Jinpei and look after her from time to time.

The American Third Class Secretary to the Soviet Union, Davis, has just newly arrived from the United States. He carried with him a letter from Liu Kai saying Wei Daoming has been back to China to report, and it is rumoured that Jiang Tingfu (蔣廷黻)[1] will take up the post of United States’ Ambassador. According to my conversation with Secretary of State Hull, he stated that the American side is dissatisfied with Wei Daoming. Minister Song replacing Hu Shi (胡適)[2] with Wei Daoming seems to be a mistake. Even though H.H. Kung and Wang Chonghui are very close to Wei Daoming, they disagreed extremely with the decision.

[1] Jiang Tingfu (1895-1965) studied at Oberlin College and Columbia University. He was a renowned historian and diplomat.

[2] Hu Shi (1891-1962) studied at Cornell and Columbia Universities. He was one of the leaders of the New Cultural Movement and a renowned scholar.