Mao's willingness to vist the U.S. in 1945

The proposed visit to which you refer in today's article was in fact a critical turning point in the relationship between the U. S. and China. The Central Government under Jiang Jieshi had little if any interest in fighting the Japanese and was rapidly losing popular support. Because of this, General Stilwell and his political officers wanted to work with the Chinese Communists and knew from their experience that they could do so. But American policy was in the midst of being taken over by hardliners who opposed the idea and wanted China on their terms. Subsequently, Stilwell was recalled, Mao's messages were kept from Roosevelt and the American people for many years, and those in the military and State Department who had supported Stilwell's view were purged and effectively silenced. My father is one of the men in the first photograph in your article--the one with Mao, Barrett and several of the other Americans who were in Yan'an. May I have a copy of it? Perhaps you might send it as an email attachment. Thank you.

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rpludden@capecod.net