File No. 763.72/7080
The Minister in China ( Reinsch) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 2, 11.55 a.m.]
Premier Tuan personally and through his Vice Minister of War, Hsu, has had long conversation with me on the question of sending [Page 692] troops to Europe. He considers it inopportune to announce an extensive program because of probable diplomatic opposition but he is willing to begin immediately preparations for sending to Europe from 10 to 50 divisions, 12,000 men each. However, he will be able to do this only if the United States can finance the expenses of armament and transportation. If the United States should decide to make available these forces it would be the intention of the Prime Minister to begin by fitting out at least 10 divisions and as these were shipped to Europe to continue immediately with the next contingent. To support this military action he would propose to establish steel plant and to mobilize arsenals and dockyards so that within a year a large part of the needed supplies and ships could be manufactured in China. He estimates that the expenses for the complete program would be $200,000,000 Mexican.1 At the same time the part of the army maintained in China would be put on a basis of greater efficiency so as to be useful as a source of future forces for which additional funding would be required.
The Prime Minister requested me to lay this matter before the American Government for its careful consideration and decision. He desires to proceed step by step without previous announcement of the total policy.
I have no doubt that if the United States were to finance this military development it could be satisfactorily arranged that its desires in respect to equipment, training and other incidental matters would be fully respected.
- As first received, $2,000,000; corrected to $200,000,000 by telegram, Oct. 8. (File No. 763.72/7166.)↩