Word war during Patrick Hurley’s 1944 mission to China

ABSTRACT This article explores the disparities that exist between the original English versions and the translated Chinese versions of Patrick Hurley’s ‘Five-Point Proposal’ and argues that by studying additional primary sources, these differences can reveal insights into the political manoeuvring of both parties on the verge of the Cold War and their efforts to mould their own historical accounts. By analysing all available versions of the proposal, the article examines two primary sets of textual discrepancies and their potential implications for interpreting the motives of the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The analysis emphasises the importance of taking into account the translation process and the translators’ contributions to creating these disparities.