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"I Shall Consider." Tension mounted, eased, mounted again. Japan's General Okamura accepted Chungking's order, promised to surrender formally this week. Central Government troops moved into Canton, waited on Shanghai's outskirts. The Chinese puppet chief at Nanking, Chen Kung-po, promising to "atone for my sins," transferred allegiance to Chungking, put "1,000,000 soldiers" in the Yangtze valley at Chiang's disposal.
From Yenan came Mao's reply to Chiang: "I shall consider the question of meeting you after you express your opinion about General Chu Teh's telegram." This was followed by another telegram from Chu Teh, demanding Communist co-authority to receive the surrender of Japanese forces. "You must publicly admit your mistake," said Chu Teh to Chiang, "and publicly retract your order. . ..." The alternative: civil war.
Treaty of Friendship. While Chiang grappled with "open rebellion," his brother-in-law, Premier T. V. Soong, hurried from the Kremlin to the White House. On & off since early July, he had been talking in Moscow with Generalissimo Joseph Stalin and Foreign Commissar Viacheslav Molotov. In his pocket Premier Soong carried a signed treaty of friendship and alliance between Russia and China.
Its terms, not to be published until after ratification, were a top diplomatic secret. While the world guessed at them, a Paris source reported the course of the talks and the terms in detail:
Stalin and Molotov had first demanded that China recognize the "independence" of Russian-dominated Outer Mongolia, which China claims. China must also allow certain provinces of Inner Mongolia to unite with Outer Mongolia. (On this point Stalin was adamant.) Manchuria must have a "very liberal autonomy"; China must acknowledge Russian interests in the province and settle Russian claims to the strategic Chinese Eastern and South Manchurian railways. The Russians suggested "considerable autonomy" for Sinkiang, with "rectification" of its frontiers in favor of neighboring Soviet Asia.
In return, Moscow agreed to support Chinese claims to territories which "foreign countries have succeeded in tearing away from China." This probably meant British Hong Kong. British-influenced Tibet, and French Indo-China. Moscow proposed to assist China in economic reconstruction by sending technicians, supplying heavy-industry materials, rebuilding communications, and establishing airlines. Russia would have the right to use certain Chinese airfields.
Internal Affair. Premier Soong, according to Paris, asked that Russia recognize the Chungking Government as the sole government of China; that Russia stop all deliveries of arms to the Chinese Communists and prevent Japanese arms from falling into their hands; that Russia must not support the Chinese Communist request for Generalissimo Chiang's removal.
Stalin and Molotov argued that the Chinese Communists were a Chinese internal affair and that Russia could not be responsible for Yenan. But they would "use their influence" to help avert civil war. Stalin and Molotov believed that Chiang's retirement would help to pacify China.
With Soong delicately avoiding the Chiang issue, the treaty of friendship and alliance was finally signed.