893.24/1712
The Department of State to the Canadian Embassy 16
Memorandum
The United States Government policy with regard to the shipment of war supplies for China is that it will consign to General Stilwell on lend-lease all military equipment requisitioned from the theatre, but no assignment is currently made unless there is assurance from the theatre that the material can actually be in use within six months after assignment by the Munitions Assignment Board. There is no reason to believe that there will be any substantial change of policy or procedure.
As integration of military supply requisitions is essential to prevent congestion in India, and to assure the most effective use of war material destined for China, General Stilwell not only has custody of American war material lend-leased to China and consigned to him, but also British war material destined for China, and the Chinese have requested that he also take custody of Canadian material shipped under mutual aid. General Stilwell has authority to divert American war material wherever it can most effectively be utilized in the prosecution of the war. Until comparatively recently such diversion was conditioned upon a commitment to replace the material diverted with identical material for China, but this prerequisite has been eliminated in order to assure the most efficient use of war materials.
It would seem unfortunate if any considerations interfered with the primary military objective of utilizing war equipment when and where most needed, and the arrangement with regard to Chinese military requirements reached on March 23, 1944 at the Ad Hoc Committee on Chinese Supplies of the Joint War Aid Committee—United States-Canada, would seem the wisest procedure for handling Chinese military requirements presented to the United States and to Canada.
- Handed to a representative of the Canadian Embassy by the Adviser, Liberated Areas Division, on May 15.↩