893.24/1029: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 1—3:40 p.m.]
204. In the course of a conversation with the Chinese Ambassador55 last night he stated that deliveries of military supplies from the Soviet Union to Chiang Kai-shek during the past 2 months had been somewhat greater than prior thereto. He stated that the deliveries had included 250 airplanes, a substantial quantity of light field artillery, small arms and ammunition and gasoline.
He also told me that Lozovski56 had recently complained to him “mildly” of the action taken by Chiang Kai-shek against the Fourth Communist Army. The Ambassador said that he had explained to Lozovski that the conduct of the Fourth Communist Army had threatened the unity of Chiang Kai-shek’s forces and had it been permitted to continue it might well have completely undermined Chinese resistance to Japanese aggression. He said that Lozovski appeared to be satisfied with his explanation and that Soviet deliveries of war [Page 484] materials had since continued at the level prior to the increase of the last 2 months.
The Ambassador added that from March until June owing to the thaw and resulting impassable roads no further deliveries could be received by Chiang Kai-shek from the Soviet Union and that negotiations were at present taking place in Chungking with a Soviet representative with respect to deliveries to be made subsequent to June.