793.94/16992¾
The Secretary of the Treasury (Morgenthau) to President Roosevelt
18
Washington, October 30,
1941.
My Dear Mr. President: The enclosed message
from General Chiang Kai-Shek has just been handed to me at 11:15 o’clock
this morning by Mr. T. V. Soong.
Yours sincerely,
Message From General Chiang Kai-shek Received
Today, October 30
Definite information reached me Japanese design attack Yunnan in
November. [(1)] This move may possibly be averted if America takes
immediate action by informing Japan that attack Yunnan through
Indo-China would be viewed by America as definite step in southward
expansion and that America cannot remain indifferent. Simultaneously
military preparations should be made to meet this eventuality. I
must emphasize the critical nature of the Yunnan situation since if
Yunnan is lost and last life line for materials from the outside
world severed the Chinese people and Army materially and morally
would be unable to offer further armed resistance. I am confident
with forces in Yunnan and available nearby Chinese able to hold
their own land fighting if reinforced airward. Colonel Chennault has
only 49 pilots consequently strong air reinforcement essential.
[(2)] Urge America use strong pressure on Britain to send Singapore
air force to cooperate with Colonel Chennault in order save
democratic position in Far East. Britain and America equally
concerned to prevent loss of Yunnan as Chinese because if Japanese
occupy
[Page 741]
Yunnan their next
stop [step] would involve attack on British
Far East colonial possessions and precipitate war in the Pacific. If
immediate action taken by Britain in sending air reinforcement these
possessions would be saved at a fraction of the cost that their
defence would involve later on and Pacific problem would thus be
solved. Japanese will concentrate largest air force in Indo-China
and if [this were] destroyed [by the] combined air forces [the]
threat to Far East [would be] finally removed.
