Office of the Historian

893.24/1290: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State

Chungking, February 25, 1942—noon.
[Received February 25—9:39 a.m.]

157. The Embassy has received through the American military mission copy of letter addressed to General Ho Ying Chin11 by the Chief of the British Military mission.

The letter reads in substance as follows:

Terms in summary of the agreement reached between the Government of India and the Generalissimo.

1.
Available facilities will be provided for [by] India by [for] the forwarding of materials to China by land, sea and air. India will provide storage facilities for Chinese Lend-Lease materials at Calcutta, other Indian ports and at road heads in Assam as needed.
2.
In addition to the Imphal-Kalewa road, a road from Ledo to Lungling via Fort Hertz ana Myitkyina will be constructed.
3.
At Karachi, India, will assemble aircraft for China and will fly them to Calcutta where Chinese pilots will take them over or will arrange for Chinese pilots to fly them across India.
4.
To facilitate signal traffic concerning the movement of Lend-Lease planes between India and China, joint Sino-Indian war press station will be constructed.
5.
A wireless transmitter will be provided at Calcutta to handle Lend-Lease signal traffic for Lashio, Kunming and Rangoon. Priority facilities will be given Chinese representatives at Calcutta and Colombo sending Lend-Lease messages.
6.
It is agreed by the Government of India that China will be permitted to use airdromes in the Sadiya area in Assam for military, passenger and freight planes. With regard to items 3, 4, 5 and 6, detailed arrangement will be made direct between India and China.

The letter requested the names of Chinese representatives selected to proceed as soon as possible to New Delhi to discuss the details of the installation of the wireless transmitter sets.

Gauss
  1. Chinese War Minister and Chief of Staff.↩