SWNCC Files, Lot 52M45
Minutes of Meeting of the Secretaries of State, War, and Navy, June 26, 1947—11:30 a.m.
- Present
I. U. S. Policy Toward China
Decision:
It was agreed that the question of providing ammunition to the Chinese National Army should be put up to the President.
Implementing Action:
- 1.
- Secretary Marshall to prepare a memorandum to the President pursuant to this decision.
- 2.
- The War Department to check on the status of availability of surplus ammunition in the Philippines which might be transferred to the Chinese Army.
Discussion:
Secretary Marshall referred to the study of the JCS on U. S. Policy Toward China (SWNCC 83/22) and read a memorandum from Mr. John Carter Vincent, Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs of the State Department,22 giving the latter’s views (Summary in Appendix23) on the JCS report.
Mr. James Penfield, Deputy Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs, gave a brief account of the situation in China as he saw it during his recent visit there.
Secretary Marshall said that the immediate and urgent problem to be decided is what are we to do about rearming the Chinese National Army. He said that the Army is beginning to run out of ammunition and it appears that we have a moral obligation to provide it inasmuch as we aided in equipping it with American arms. He said that action in this case poses a real dilemma because we will be taking an indirect [Page 851] part in the civil war if we continue to rearm the National Army; on the other hand, we will be favoring the Communists if we do not provide the equipment to the Nationalists. He said that besides the question of the “ethics” involved we must consider the possible reaction of Russia if we continue to rearm the Nationalists. Furthermore, we must consider the reaction of Congress and the public to any move we make. This is further complicated by the fact that there is a feeling in China on the part of several large groups that any aid by us merely prolongs the civil war there, and consequently aid by us will create a certain amount of ill-will towards America among those elements.
Mr. Petersen said that there was a considerable amount of surplus small arms ammunition in the Philippines which probably could be made readily available for the Chinese National Army. He said that he would check on the availability of this war material.
Secretary Forrestal said that he favored our furnishing the ammunition and that we should not be too concerned with Russian reaction. He said that we must recognize the fact that we have an obligation to support the government in China which we have recognized and have previously supported. He said that we must maintain our interest in China and we should recognize that the Chinese Communists are, in fact, true communists and that their leaders have been Russian trained. He also cited the need for aiding the rehabilitation of the Chinese transportation and communication system, as well as providing food relief. He added that we must provide moral and material help to the Chinese people to encourage and aid business there to get back on its feet.
Secretary Patterson said that he also agreed with Secretary Forrestal in our obligation to furnish the ammunition. He said that by so doing we were only supporting a recognized government and by such action we were not necessarily taking a part in the civil war there.
Mr. Vincent said that if we do decide to go ahead and rearm the Chinese National Army we should go into this matter with our eyes open. He said that such a move on our part will not accomplish the aims of the JCS paper in eliminating the Communist forces. He added, however, that it should prevent a collapse of the Chinese National Armies.
Secretary Marshall said that this problem is of such importance that the President must be consulted before any action is taken. He said that he intended to take the matter up directly with the President and asked if there were any further views or proposals which the other Members wished him to make to the President.
There was no further comment and the Meeting came to a close.