Office of the Historian

793.94/16982

The Navy Department to the Department of State 54

[Washington,] October 30, 1941.

Following was received this date from Naval Attaché, Chungking:

[Paraphrase.] Troops arriving daily Haiphong plus steady stream of supplies and material reported arriving at Formosa and Hainan indicate possible invasion Yunnan. Such operation while difficult would be feasible if executed in force, Chinese contention that it would be turning point in battle for Asia believed correct. Capture of Kunming would completely crush Sino resistance while penetration even to Mengtze would close Burma Road. Foreign Attachés here agree minimum requirement is 7 divisions and preferably 10.

  1. Noted by the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State.↩