Terribly hot: 80° early in the morning, 88° later in the afternoon in the parlor. Victor 【沈惟泰] and Hilda 【沈恩欽] Shen and C. C. Wu 【吳景超] came to play bridge at 10 a.m. T. H. Chang 【張道宏] brought his daughter along for a visit. At 12:30, went to lunch with Li and Pai 【白崇禧]. Wong Wen-hao 【翁文灝], Chang Li-sen 【張厲生], O. K. Yui 【俞鴻鈞] were among the guests present. The hosts were anxious about relief and rehabilitation in Kwangsi. It is difficult because no supplies from UNRRA 【聯合國善後救濟總署] are available. After dinner, Wong and Chang talked very interestingly about the Three Kingdoms 【三國演義]: Wong showing that he had mastered the human factor in that great historical drama. Upon return from dinner, played bridge again until 5 p.m. Hot to the extreme. Slept till 7:30. Evening, sat outdoors with San Pao 【蔣懷仁]. Listened to BBC at 11.
Every liberated district adds to my burdens. Supplies still can not come in. Personnel is short. Ku 【谷正綱] of Social Affairs plays the game of opposition. Li Tsung-jen 【李宗仁] tells me that the Japanese are withdrawing from his sector and Laohokow 【老河口] may be liberated. If so, work in Hupeh must be started, particularly if Ichang should be liberated also. In the meantime, I have to leave for the United States. Cheng Tao-ju 【鄭道儒] is afraid of trucks and wishes to pass out supplies to all central and local governments who wish to have them. Told him that my plans were calculated to secure for China the maximum aid, that so far only Ku opposes, that later if opposition should increase, somebody can yield the fort, after my resignation.