893.24/1635

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Stanton)

Participants: Mr. J. Franklin Ray, Jr., Assistant Administrator OLLA
Mr. Perkins30
Mr. Stanton

Mr. Stanton inquired whether there had been any new developments in regard to trucks and drivers for this route. Mr. Ray stated that as we already knew the British had supplied 520 trucks from stocks in [Page 606] India; that 200 additional trucks had arrived and were being assembled at Karachi; and that 400 additional trucks shipped from the United States were now on the high seas and should reach India in the near future. He said therefore that there were good prospects that a fleet of a thousand trucks requested by the Russians for operation of the Alma Ata–Hami section of the route would be ready for operation by the end of August. As regards drivers, Mr. Ray stated that the British had furnished a few but that efforts were now being made to obtain Chinese drivers from the Chinese forces in training at Rangarh. Mr. Stanton inquired what supplies and equipment would be shipped in first. Mr. Ray stated that the Chinese had made up their list and that the list included 900 tons of automotive spare parts, tires and servicing equipment, and 1,100 tons of small arms ammunition for General Hu Tsung-nan. Mr. Ray remarked that it was perhaps significant that in the eyes of the Chinese the most important item to be shipped in on the very first lot of supplies transported over this route was a consignment of over a thousand tons of ammunition to the general detailed by Chungking to hem in and watch the Chinese Communists.

  1. Troy L. Perkins, of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs.