Lot 238
Chou En-Lai (1898-1976) First Premier of the People's Republic of China (1949-76); skilled diplomat who met with Henry Kissinger and was instrumental in Nixon's visit to China in 1972. Typed letter signed in Chinese, 1 page, on Communist Delegation Office letterhead, in English, 9½ x 8¼ in., Nanking, China, July 30, 1946. To Mr. Ray, a member of the Marshall Mission, stating that he is "returning herewith one copy of the memorandum of agreement [not present] reached at the three conferences on Yellow River Project to you with my signature….While accepting that with reference to technical problems the views of Mr. O.J. Todd should be abided by…I am of the opinion that the 7-point understanding reached among the engineers in Kaifeng…should also be taken as reference. …"
The Marshall Mission was a failed diplomatic attempt by the U.S. Government after World War II to negotiate a unity government between the Chinese Communists (CCP) and the Chinese Nationalists (KMT). The hope was that a non-Communist China would serve as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. In December 1945, President Truman appointed General George C. Marshall as his special envoy to China. Marshall was charged with brokering a ceasefire between the warring CCP and KMT. Chou represented the Communists and the outlook, at first optimistic, deteriorated as neither the CCP nor the KMT were willing to make concessions. On October 9, 1946 Chou informed Marshall that he (Chou) no longer had the confidence of the CCP. The civil war intensified and in February, 1947, Marshall returned to the U.S. and devoted his energies to the revitalization of Europe (The Marshall Plan).
Estimated Value $400 - 600.
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| Realized $41,250 |
