Yet Stilwell insisted. Hurley attempted to soften the blow by asking that Chiang read the Chinese translation, which later turned out to have been even more blunt than the original. Chiang read the note and said simply “I understand,” while appearing nervous. Then he turned his teacup upside down. The gesture indicated that the meeting was over, and with it, any chance whatsoever of continued cooperation with Stilwell, or of the American being placed in command of the millions of men who made up the armed forces of the Republic of China.14 The delivery of Roosevelt’s note was a watershed. For
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