Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

893.20/725

The Under Secretary of State (Welles) to the Secretary of War (Stimson)

Washington, August 8, 1941.

My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have your letter of August 5, 1941, enclosing a draft letter of instructions to General Magruder⁵⁴ initiating the military mission to China and fixing the nature of duties envisaged. You are so good as to indicate that an expression of our views with regard to the proposed letter of instructions would be welcomed.

In as much as it is the President’s decision that General Magruder should proceed as Military Attaché, I suggested, when you brought up in our telephone conversation to which you refer the fact that you did not wish to displace the present Military Attaché to China, that there be followed the procedure which has been followed elsewhere, namely, permitting the present Military Attaché to remain and carry on his usual functions and assigning General Magruder as Military Attaché in charge of the military mission. There therefore are suggested certain changes in the proposed letter of instructions in the light of the President’s decision and the procedure which is practicable for the carrying out of that decision. There also are suggested several other amendments: on the one hand, changes in phraseology which it is believed would tend to give greater precision to the instructions and, on the other hand, certain additions which it is believed will broaden the scope and contribute to the effectiveness, from point of view of general policy, of the mission.

A draft of the proposed letter of instructions containing the suggested changes indicated above is enclosed herewith.

Sincerely yours,

Sumner Welles

[Enclosure]

Proposed Letter of Instructions to General Magruder

1. For the purpose of realizing certain objectives of the Act of March 11, 1941 (Lend-Lease Act), you are designated Military Attaché in Chargé of a Military Mission to China⁵⁵ acting under the direction of the Secretary of War. The Mission will consist of a group operating in China and a liaison group operating in Washington.

2. With the group that will operate in China, you will proceed as soon as possible to Chungking and report to the Ambassador.⁵⁶ While operating under the instructions of and communicating directly with the Secretary of War, you will cooperate with the Ambassador and keep him informed of all matters of national interest arising in and resulting from your activities. Should questions arise of undertaking projects or making commitments not authorized in your directive, you will promptly inform the Secretary of War and, pending instructions, be guided by national policies as interpreted by the American Ambassador.

3. Colonel Mayer will continue as Military Attaché concerned with the regular functions of such office.⁵⁷

4. In general, the mission will assist the Chinese Government in insuring that the most effective use is made of the military aid afforded to China under the Lend-Lease Act.

5. More specifically, you will assemble in the mission and control the activities of such military and authorized civilian personnel as may be required to:

a. Advise and assist the Chinese Government in all phases of procurement, transport and utilization of materials, equipment and munitions requisite to the prosecution of its military effort.

b. Advise and assist the Chinese Government in the training of Chinese personnel in the use and maintenance of materials, equipment and munitions supplied as defense aid material by the United States.

c. When requested, assist the personnel of other departments of this Government in carrying out their respective duties in furtherance of the objectives of the Lend-Lease Act as pertaining to China.

6. You will advise the Defense Aid Liaison Officer at Chungking, or, in the absence of such an officer, Mr. Harry Hopkins,⁵⁸ regarding the types and amounts of matériel which in your judgment may most advantageously be allocated to and used in China.

7. You are authorized:

a. To make requests through the Secretary of War for qualified personnel to constitute and maintain the mission.

b. To request the commissioning in appropriate grades in the Specialist Reserve of highly competent technical personnel which cannot otherwise be obtained.

c. To issue necessary travel orders; approve administrative expenditures; and establish a disbursing office to administer the authorized expenditures of the mission.

8. Within the limits of Presidential allocations under the Lend-Lease Act for specified purposes, you may hire essential technical and administrative assistants, and purchase locally in the Far East such supplies and materials to accomplish Lend-Lease objectives as may be approved by the President.⁵⁹

54. Latter not printed.
55. On August 26 the Acting Secretary of War (Patterson) sent to Brig. Gen. John Magruder a memorandum which conveyed the authority and instructions for the organization of the military mission to China. Among several changes made in the draft submitted by the Department of State, Gen. Magruder was designated “chief of a military mission to China.” (893.20/728)
56. The War Department directive of August 26 ordered Gen. Magruder to “proceed … to Chungking, China … your mission will, for the time being, be attached to the Embassy for the purpose of assuring the coordinating jurisdiction of the Ambassador and obviating political and administrative complications.” (893.20/728)
57. In the War Department memorandum under reference this paragraph was omitted altogether.
58. The pertinent paragraph (3) in the War Department memorandum read, in part: “You will inform the Ambassador or the officer designated as his Lend-Lease liaison. …” No mention was made of Mr. Harry Hopkins. (893.20/728)
59. For press release issued on August 26 by the White House making public announcement of the formation of the Military Mission to China, see Department of State Bulletin, August 30, 1941, p. 166.