811.20 Defense (M)/6050: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:05 p.m.]
380. Reference paragraph 1 of the Department’s 258, April 4, 7 p.m. There are no planes available for transport of materials from China and there is as yet indefinite information in Chungking regarding when transport planes will arrive from America for duty. Ground work on fields to enable regular operations will not be completed before June 1st. With regard to (1) General Magruder15 states that it is impossible on the basis of present information to estimate amount of outward cargo planes will be able to transport monthly. With regard to (2) the Department’s understanding is correct with the modification that fields in Assam will be about equi-distant from Sadiya and Ledo near railhead. The Department’s assumption regarding rail transport across India is correct.
With reference to Department’s paragraphs there seems to be slight hope that new road connections will be completed before November.
Separate replies will be made regarding matters mentioned in other paragraphs of the reference telegram.
- Gen. John A. Magruder, head of American Military Mission in China.↩