893.248/5–2448
The Secretary of Defense (Forrestal) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: I refer to your communication of 20 April 19484 and attached copy of a memorandum of 12 April 1948 from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, containing an urgent request for military equipment and especially aircraft for the Chinese Nationalist Forces.
The Secretary of the Air Force has indicated that it would be necessary to refer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff the problem of transfer to the Chinese Government of aircraft from United States units in the Pacific. The heavy load of higher priority work precludes the mechanical rehabilitation of the 95 fighter aircraft presently on contract for turn-over to the Government of China by USAF depots prior to late Spring 1949. Rehabilitation of the 95 aircraft by a civilian firm would require a minimum of 22 weeks plus time required for movement of the aircraft from the United States to China by surface vessel. It is not anticipated that either of the above mentioned approaches will meet the urgency of the deteriorating military situation in China. Even if the Chinese Government accepts rehabilitation of the 95 aircraft by a civilian firm, it is anticipated that they will request that aircraft in addition to the 95 be made available to achieve the urgently needed revitalization of the Chinese Air Force. The degree of urgency could only be met by making such aircraft available from Pacific units.
In view of the above it is requested that the Department of State advise me upon the degree of U. S. national interest involved in order that I may decide whether there is a question of military priority which should be referred to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Sincerely yours,
- Not printed.↩