893.24/370: Telegram

The Chargé in France (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

522. With reference to press report that the French Government had recently suspended munitions supply to China over the Hanoi-Yunnanfu Railroad, an official of the Far East section of the Foreign Office has told us that there has been no change in policy, which is to [Page 595] approve applications for shipments ordered prior to last August and started before October. It appears however that it has been possible for some subsequent shipments to evade this control and there have been other shipments originating in French Indo-China which are not strictly subject to it. Shipments from France must be approved by the Defense Ministries also and of late these have been authorizing very few arms exports, with the result that the French munitions supply to China has been considerably diminished principally because of France’s own military needs but has not been interrupted.

Our informant added that the French were still fearful that the Japanese might endeavor to cut off this supply altogether by bombing the railroad from planes based on carriers off Hainan. They thought the attack would be confined to that part of the line beyond the French frontier but as the entire railroad belonged to them they wished to avoid giving provocation.

Wilson