Office of the Historian

J. C. S. Files

Report by the Joint Staff Planners1

secret
J. C. S. 600
11 November 1943.

V. L. R. Airfields (B–29) in the China-Burma-India Area

1. In the final Quadrant Report,2 C. C. S. 319/5, the following decisions were made:

“6. h. Undertake such measures as may be necessary and practicable in order to aid the war effort of China as an effective Ally and as a base for operations against Japan.”

“40. To continue to build up and increase the air routes and air supplies of China, and the development of air facilities, with a view to:

  • “a. Keeping China in the war.
  • b. Intensifying operations against the Japanese.
  • c. Maintaining increased U. S. and Chinese Air Forces in China.
  • d. Equipping Chinese ground forces.”

2. It now appears possible that B–29 aircraft will be available early in 1944 and that offensive operations from India and China against Japan might be intensified earlier than contemplated at Quadrant if suitable airfields could be constructed in India and Chengtu area of China.3

3. Current studies indicate that a minimum of 4 such airfields in the Calcutta area and 5 in the Chengtu area would probably be required for the employment of these aircraft.

4. The airfields in the Calcutta area would be constructed in coordination with British authorities in India.

5. The airfields at Chengtu would be constructed in coordination with the Chinese Government.

6. It is believed that operations against the Japanese from China can be intensified in the spring of 1944 by the use of B–29 bombers if airfields are made available in the Calcutta and Chengtu areas.

Recommendations

7. It is recommended:

a.
That the Combined Chiefs of Staff authorize that facilities be made available in the Calcutta area which are necessary for the construction of 4 V. L. R. airfields.
b.
That the proper U. S. authorities initiate necessary measures to construct 5 V. L. R. airfields in the Chengtu area of China.
c.
That these airfields be constructed by May 1944 insofar as practicable consistent with the commitments already placed on the Allied Commanders in those areas.

  1. Submitted to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on November 11, 1943; forwarded by them, with minor editorial changes, to the Combined Chiefs of Staff; and circulated on November 18, 1943, as C. C. S. 401. For Roosevelt’s telegram of November 10, 1943, to Churchill on this subject, see ante, p. 172.↩
  2. The records of the First Quebec (Quadrant) Conference, August 1943, are scheduled to be published subsequently in another volume of the Foreign Relations series.↩
  3. See Matloff, pp. 328–330.↩