893.20 Mission/1–546

Memorandum by the Secretary of State to the State Department Member on the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee ( Dunn )92

[SWNCC 83/16]

My reaction to SWNCC 83/8.93 U. S. Military Advisory Group to China, is that the size and contemplated activities of the Group are not in conformity with its “advisory” character. It would appear that, rather than establishing an Advisory Group on a military staff level, it is planned to send out a military training group which would permeate throughout the Chinese Army on an operational level. As a matter of comparison, the size of the Group—approximately 4,600 officers and men—is roughly equal to the British officer strength in the Indian Army under peace-time conditions. I recommend, therefore, that the plan be reviewed with a view to formation of an Advisory Group which would function only on military staff level and which [Page 811] would be greatly reduced in size. I should say that a personnel of not more than several hundred would be fully adequate to the task.

It is my belief that the immunities, privileges, and concessions which the Chinese Government is expected to grant in connection with the establishment of the Group are excessive, I have in mind particularly the following:

(1) complete exemption from any form of import duty or taxation on goods to be used or consumed by the personnel of the Group; (2) exemption from Chinese jurisdiction for all Group personnel, civilian as well as military; (3) China to refrain from supporting armed forces (Chinese) not sponsored by the U. S., when such support would interfere quantitatively or qualitatively with the effectiveness or efficiency of the U. S. sponsored units; (4) China may purchase military equipment from another power only after consultation with the Advisory Group; and (5) certain preferential treatment for American commercial organizations in China.

I do not consider it wise to ask for a preferential position for the Group so extensive in character and I consider it ill-advised to make establishment of the Group conditional upon the grant by China of concessions in unrelated fields.

Finally, I would suggest that the paper be referred back to the Joint Chiefs of Staff with a view to obtaining closer and more detailed study of the relationship of the Group to the maintenance of our own and world security. The present plan might be construed as a projection of U. S. military power onto the Asiatic continent rather than as simply aid to China in modernizing its Army. I question whether, international relations and other matters considered, the program outlined in SWNCC 83/8 and as supplemented by JCS 1330/9,94 U. S. Military Assistance to China in Addition to a Military Advisory Group, would actually contribute towards our security and world peace or towards political unity, and peace and prosperity in China.

James F. Byrnes
  1. Enclosure to note of January 7 (not printed) by Secretaries of the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee, circulated for consideration by the Committee; the Committee approved SWNCC 83/16 by informal action on January 10.
  2. This note (SWNCC 83/8 of October 25, 1945, not printed) covered report by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of October 22 (JCS 1330/10); for report of October 22, see Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. vii, p. 590.
  3. Enclosure to SWNCC 83/7, October 25, 1945, not printed.