124.93/562
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of War (Stimson)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to the Department’s letter of July 26, 194314 in which this Department informed the War Department that in pursuance of the latter’s request assignments had been approved for detail to the staff of Lieutenant General Joseph W. Stilwell, Commanding General of the United States Army Forces in the China–Burma–India theater, of four Foreign Service officers named in the letter.
The Department feels that these assignments will assist General Stilwell in his theater of war in evaluating and in dealing with political aspects of military problems by providing him with the services of personnel who have had special training and experience in areas within his command.
In this connection and in view of the importance of these political questions and of the close inter-relation between political and military problems especially in the areas in question, the Department is of the opinion that all possible steps should be taken to ensure complete coordination and cooperation between the diplomatic and military establishments in political matters related to military affairs.
The Department feels that, in addition to the assigning of these officers to General Stilwell’s staff, much further good can be accomplished in this direction by arranging for the direct exchange at frequent and regular intervals of views and of information between General Stilwell and the ranking political representatives of the United States in India and in China. The obvious benefits which would be derived from frank and comprehensive interchanges of the nature envisaged should be of great assistance to both establishments [Page 92] in discharging their respective functions in connection with the prosecution of the war and the working out of our long-range policies in that area.
The Department believes, therefore, that it is of the utmost importance that the Commanding General of United States forces in the China–Burma–India theater and the ranking American political representatives in that area should arrange for constant liaison and regular consultation one with the other to the end that coordination and cooperation be maintained between the diplomatic and military establishments in China and India of this Government in political matters relating to military affairs. For example, the Department believes that the ends in view might be well served if General Stilwell would maintain liaison and confer with the American Ambassador at Chungking in regard to matters affecting political relations with China and similarly with the Chief of the American Mission at New Delhi in regard to matters affecting political relations with India.
The Department will instruct the American Ambassador at Chungking and the Chief of the American Mission at New Delhi to take all necessary steps to work out arrangements for such liaison and conferences with General Stilwell at which all questions of mutual concern will be thoroughly explored and discussed. At the same time and for the same purpose the Department requests that the War Department issue appropriate instructions to General Stilwell in the foregoing sense.
Sincerely yours,