793.94/9307: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 12—5 a.m.]
405. 1. We are reliably informed that the National Defense Council and the Military Affairs Commission are being reorganized to take control of military and other government affairs during the emergency. A new body, which will bear designation something like Supreme War Council, is being formed with Chiang Kai-shek as President, Wang Ching-wei as Vice President and former Foreign Minister Chang Chun as Secretary General and possibly head of the Political Department. Other appointments being considered include: Pai Chung Hsi, Chief of Staff, T. V. Soong, finance; Shao Li Tzu (now head of Central Party publicity), intelligence and publicity. The plan also embraces operations and administration departments and contemplates that the Central Executive and Central Political Committees shall continue in existence but shall not function during the life of the new body which will temporarily replace them and will assume full direction of the Government and the military forces.
Sent to the Department, Peiping, Tokyo. By mail to Shanghai.