Office of the Historian

893.248/231a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

Washington, September 2, 1941—4 p.m.

3521. For Sir Archibald Sinclair89 from Hopkins.90

“I wonder if you and Moore-Brabizon91 and Portal92 can have a suggestion to make to help us out of a difficult situation relating to medium bombers for China.

A recommendation has been made by our military people that 66 medium bombers be released to the Chinese over a period of the next few months. While they recommended 33 Hudsons and 33 DB–7s I believe the important thing is that they be satisfactory medium bombers irrespective of the particular type.

The President is anxious to get these bombers and we simply are not in a position to release any more medium bombers immediately out of our own share of the production, which is very small.

Chiang Kai-Shek was advised inadvertently that the bombers would be available.

I realize how difficult it is for you to release these bombers but on the other hand we are in a difficult situation in regard to the Chinese and we know of their very urgent need which the President believes should be met. I know you have given some consideration to this. I earnestly hope that a way can be found to give them the bombers with ammunition.

The Chinese are also making a very urgent request upon us for one hundred tons of incendiary bombs. We have none. Is there any possibility that this request can be met from your stocks?”

Hull
  1. British Secretary of State for Air.↩
  2. Harry Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt.↩
  3. J. T. C. Moore–Brabazon, British Minister of Aircraft Production.↩
  4. Air Marshal Sir Charles Portal, British Chief of the Air Staff.↩