124.936/8–3145
The Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 14.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit the minutes of the thirty-ninth weekly meeting of representatives of United States Government agencies in Chungking held at the Chancery at 10 o’clock on August 28, 1945. The Minister-Counselor of Economic Affairs, Mr. Walter S. Robertson, presided, and the Assistant Commercial Attaché, Mr. M. H. Walker, acted as secretary.
General Ray T. Maddocks, Chief of Staff to General Wedemeyer, attended this meeting and described for the group the present military situation. He stated that the surrender of Japanese troops in China will not take place until after the formal capitulation to General MacArthur in Japan, which is expected to occur on September 2. Also he pointed out that the surrender of Japanese troops in China would be to the representative of the Generalissimo as the Commander-in-Chief in this theater. He stated that General Ho Ying-chin25 and General McClure26 are now in Chihkiang where discussions have been going forward with the representative of the Japanese commander in Central China.
On August 26 a detachment of Chinese troops went into the city of Nanking. After receiving their report on conditions there, the United States Army on August 27 sent in advanced details to assure that airfields were in condition to receive transport planes, and to install equipment and aids to navigation. A detachment of Chinese will shortly enter Shanghai, General Maddocks stated, to be similarly followed by advanced details of American forces. One Chinese army will be flown to Nanking and another will be flown to Shanghai. This movement of troops will start about September 1, but it will probably take 45 days and even longer if planes have to be diverted to other purposes than moving troops.
United States forces are working with the Chinese Army helping them to draw up plans and to move as promptly as possible to insure the maintenance of order in large coastal cities. Once they arrive in such places as Shanghai and Nanking, the Chinese will be in charge. It was expected that Chinese forces will also be moved to Formosa, Indo-China, and later to Manchuria. It was stated that requests have been received to move 15 Chinese armies. Some of these can be moved by ship, although General Maddocks indicated that a great [Page 545] shortage in shipping exists, and the number of vessels which will be available is not presently known.
General Maddocks was not sure when the American headquarters would be moved to Shanghai. Advanced details are expected to go in about the 10th of September to prepare billets and facilities. It is hoped to have the headquarters moved by the first of October. He expected that the heavy equipment from army headquarters in Chungking would be moved by chartered boats on the Yangtze. A base section will be retained at Kunming for some time to come to wind up affairs there.
Anticipating the question as to how soon other United States representatives and agencies can move to the coast, General Maddocks emphasized that military considerations must be put first. A stable situation must exist before transport planes can be allowed to go in. The overall picture, he reported, is coming along very well. The steps which lie ahead are (1) the formal surrender in Japan to General MacArthur; (2) the formal surrender of all the Japanese commanders in the China Theater, which includes Japan’s commanders in China, Formosa, northern Indo-China, and those of air and naval as well as of army forces; and (3) the surrender of local garrisons in each of the various war zones. When these steps have been taken, there will still remain the problem of getting the one million or so Japanese in China back to Japan. General Maddocks said that it was proposed to use captured shipping to the maximum extent possible for the task.
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