103.91802/687
The Secretary of State to President Roosevelt
Colonel William J. Donovan, Director of the Office of Strategic Services, is sending two members of his organization on a special and confidential mission to China via India and Tibet. It is believed that the work of the mission in Tibet would be greatly facilitated if you were to provide it with a letter of introduction to the Dalai Lama of Tibet. A draft of such letter is attached.2 The letter is addressed to the Dalai Lama in his capacity of religious leader of Tibet, rather than in his capacity of secular leader of Tibet, thus avoiding giving any possible offense to the Chinese Government which includes Tibet in the territory of the Republic of China. It is understood that Colonel Donovan is getting in touch with your office with regard to the form of delivery of the letter, if approved by you.
- Infra, as signed.↩