893.24/1047: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)47
91. Your 140, April 17, 11 a.m. Reference that portion relating to schedule of materials to be made available to the Chinese Government.
Please call on General Chiang and inform him that with reference to his conversation with you on April 16 you have been instructed to communicate the following statement to him:
[Page 636]1. The Generalissimo’s comments have been communicated to the President who desires that the Generalissimo be informed that the schedule of items desired by the Chinese Government under the lease-lend program which was submitted by Mr. Soong early in April has had prompt examination.
2. The President is desirous that General Chiang understand the procedure applicable to the lease-lend program. Schedules of requested articles are upon receipt by this Government distributed among technical committees charged with coordination of specific fields of this country’s armament program. In order to expedite action, these committees select as promptly as possible lists of those articles which can be made immediately available or the production of which can be immediately authorized.
3. The first of these lists has just received the President’s approval. He has authorized that steps be taken immediately to arrange for the procurement of the following items for China in the amounts and to the estimated values stated:
| Railway equipment for Nanta—Siangyun Railway | $15,000,000 |
| Communications equipment (telephones, switchboards, and wire) | 1,000,000 |
| 2000 Military trucks | 6,000,000 |
| 2000 Commercial trucks | 6,000,000 |
| Gasoline (5,000,000 gallons aviation and truck) | 1,000,000 |
| 5000 tons Diesel oil | 50,000 |
| 2500 tons Lubricating oil | 250,000 |
| Raw materials for arsenals | 10,000,000 |
| 150 Light Caterpillar tractors | 300,000 |
| 300 Light passenger cars | 300,000 |
| 3,000,000 Cotton blankets | 4,500,000 |
| 10,000,000 yards Gray sheeting | 700,000 |
The estimated values include cost of freight to Rangoon.
4. The items listed represent merely the first list of articles and quantities which after preliminary and rapid examination could be approved promptly. Further study will undoubtedly result in determination that larger quantities of the articles listed above can be approved and additional lists of other articles will be forthcoming in the near future as the reports of the various committees, including ordnance and aircraft, are received.
5. As to some of the articles listed above, exact specifications and other details have not yet been supplied by the Chinese representatives but Mr. Soong and his associates are taking immediate steps to provide these.
6. In addition to the articles listed above, British representatives have indicated the willingness of their Government to release to the Chinese Government 300 military two and one-half ton six-wheeled trucks which are available for immediate delivery and which were to go to England.
7. We shall be glad to inform the Generalissimo promptly as new lists are authorized.
8. The President desires that the Generalissimo be assured that he will expedite the procurement and shipment of every item in the [Page 637] Chinese schedule that can be made available. He has directed Mr. Currie to assist Mr. Hopkins in insuring prompt attention to China’s needs.
Sent to Chungking only.
- Drafted by the Administrative Assistant to President Roosevelt (Currie) on the basis of conversations with President Roosevelt and the Special Assistant to the President (Hopkins).↩