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Soviet connivance, occupied Kirin, Changchun and Harbin. The Soviots also left behind large quantitios of Japanese arms which fell into Communist hands. Changchun was later recaptured by the Contral Government, and still remains, although precariously, in their hands, representing the northern-most limit of Central
Government control in Manchuria.
8. The Communist attitude bogan to stiffon about
this time to such an extent as to cast doubts upon their desire for any compromise. This in turn encouraged the die-hards among the Kuomintang, and it was finally announced by the Contral Government that the National
Assembly, tho convocation of which had been postponed
from May 5th, 1946 would meet, with or without the
Communists, on November 12th, 1946. The Contral
Government forces made considerable territorial gains in
Manchuria and on October 16th, after a series of offers
for ronowal of negotiations, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek
issued an eight-point programme which all parties except
the Communists considered to reprosent a reasonable
basis of compromise. The Communists continued obdurate,
and the National Assembly finally met on November 15th,
without their participation, but with the participation
of certain left-wing minority partios which had at the
last moment boen weaned from their alliance with the
Communists.
9. The National Assembly passed China's new
Constitution on December 25th, 1946, and it will como
into force on December 25th, 1947. Despite a number of
possible loopholes for dictatorial action, it may be
regarded as a democratic and workable blueprint for the
/ China