893.24/1714
The Acting Chairman, China Defense Supplies, Inc. (Sze), to the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)47
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to inform you that the Chinese Government has instructed me to present the proposal to requisition for China under Lend-Lease the naval vessels described below.
The Chinese Government desires to requisition these vessels in order to enable its naval officers and men to assist the Allied Nations in the Pacific War against Japan.
The Chinese Government makes this proposal in order also to facilitate the carrying out of the responsibilities to which China is committed, in the United Nations Declaration and especially in the Four-Power Declaration of Moscow, to cooperate in the war against the common enemies and in the common effort to bring about and maintain in the postwar period arrangements for security and peace.
The ships to be requisitioned should be four destroyers or destroyer escorts of, say, 1500 tons each; and four minelayers, of about 1000 tons each, or other appropriate vessels. The first of these ships should be delivered at about the time the Chinese naval officers now in training in the United States will have completed their course, in 1945. Further details may be settled by discussion with such officers as you may be pleased to designate for that purpose.
I submit this proposal with confidence that it will receive favorable consideration.
Sincerely yours,
- Copy submitted to the Secretary of State on May 17 by Mr. Sao-ke Alfred Sze.↩