893.248/233: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 9—10:35 a.m.]
4166. Personal for Mr. Harry Hopkins. Sir Archibald Sinclair has given me the following message for you:
“Thank you for your message which I have received from the Ambassador about supplies to China. I am grateful to you for having referred this somewhat difficult question to me, in particular, for giving me an opportunity of suggesting alternative types of aircraft to meet the Chinese needs.
But, as you will, of course, know by this time, we agreed some days ago to release the 33 Hudsons and the 33 Boston III’s and we have also arranged to make available to the Chinese 50,000 4-pound incendiary bombs.
We were, as you have gathered, somewhat disturbed by the fact that, owing to inadvertence, the Chinese had been virtually promised that these aircraft would be available before our mission had been consulted. But I am quite sure that with your help this sort of thing will not happen again.
I was very pleased to hear from you again and I am so glad that we have been able to help over these supplies for China.”