the collapse of Nationalist resistance to the Reds Mr. Isaacs has plenty to say about corruption and ineptitude, but nothing about the runaway inflation that ate the heart out of China. Neither is George Marshall quoted as saying that he had “disarmed Chiang with a stroke of the pen.”
The panelists are not called upon to say much about Red China until almost the end, when their answer to what must have been the big question about American diplomatic recognition of the Mao regime (though the direct question is not quoted) is given as: “. . . some kind of normalization of relations with Communist China was going to be required.” The author writes that 135 (75 per cent) individually expressed that belief. If that many did actually pussyfoot to that extent on one of the most important questions about Asia before this country, one cannot have a very high opinion of the gentry whom Mr. Isaacs chose to interview—whoever they were.
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