Breathing Spell

General George Marshall's sharp eye saw a chance for Chinese peace. Chiang Kai-shek was willing to halt his armies in Manchuria for seven days; Communist Negotiator Chou En-lai wanted a one-month armistice. Marshall asked shrewd Dr. Lo Lung-chi, head of the pink-tinged Democratic League, to help him work out a compromise. Together they led the rival leaders to a middle ground: a 15-day truce in Manchuria.

As usual, the Communists scored a news beat; Chou announced the agreement at an American Embassy cocktail party. Next day Chiang gave it substance by ordering his generals to hold "all advances, attacks and pursuits." Chiang took another step toward conciliation. He proposed that Marshall be empowered to act as supreme arbiter in all Communist-Nationalist disputes. Chou hedged: "We've trusted Marshall, but to trust him and to give him arbitrary power are two different things." In Marshall's personal plane Chou took the proposal to Yenan where Communist Boss Mao Tse-tung was deciding whether it is to be peace or war for China.

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