893.24/4–347: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:12 p.m.]
725. The Ordnance Officer of Army Advisory Group has been given the following information by Office of the Chief of Ordnance Service, Combined Service Force, Minister of National Defense. Information is classified top secret in order not to jeopardize position of Chinese Army or advisory group vis-à-vis Chinese. Information was obtained prior to promised report on same subject from Yu Ta-wei referred to Embtel 698, March 31, 7 [11] p.m.
Fifteen arsenals, 5 sub-arsenals and 1 iron and steel works are currently scheduled to produce monthly the following items: 550 caliber 7.92 Bren light machine guns; 11,000,000 rounds 7.92 ammunition; 9,000 Generalissimo rifles caliber 7.92; 250 Maxim heavy machine guns; 100 caliber 82 mm mortars; 50,000 rounds 82 mm mortar ammunition; 2500 model 28 grenade launchers; 80,000 rounds [Page 816] rifle grenades; 530,000 hand grenades; 450 caliber 60 mm mortars; 85,000 rounds 60 mm mortar ammunition; 50 (estimate) 120 mm mortars.
Ordnance depot stocks include following items: 7,000 Maxim heavy machine guns; 4,000 caliber 82 mm mortars; 7,000 caliber 60 mm mortars; 35,000 Czech light machine guns; 47,000 caliber 45 US sub-machine guns; 3,000 carbines, caliber 30, M–l; 20,000 Sten submachine guns, caliber 9 mm.
At Hankow the Eleventh Arsenal is presently organizing to manufacture caliber 30 ammunition.
Detailed report including locations of arsenals and ordnance depots is being forwarded to Department by airmail.67 Report concludes that “Chinese Ordnance Service is believed to have ability and capacity to maintain requirements of National troops for current operations, and adequate ordnance stores or substitutes thereof are believed to be on hand to sustain operations for a 3- or 4-month concentrated offensive”.
Sent Department 725, April 3, 3 p.m.; Department please repeat Moscow for personal attentition of General Marshall as 7 with reference to Embtel 625, March 21, 9 [7] p.m.;68 repeated Moscow for Marshall.