marshall was also intimate with both chinese warring factions, commies and nationalists alike. he was more wary of the soviets than communism in general. he always had the belief that china was an important counter weight to the soviets. losing china to the soviets would be disastrous to u.s. post -war strategy as that would lead to confrontation and eventually to a new war, something the american public would find detestful and be tired of. and he was right. it led to the cold war and the korean war. he was more far-sighted, strategically-sound, and future-minded than either nimitz or macarthur could ever imagine within their limited sphere of command, influence and responsibility.