893.24/7–2346: Telegram
Colonel Marshall S. Carter to General Marshall
95249. Shipment of military end-use items to China is subject. Chinese Supply Commission has requested export license for 40,000 steel castings purchased from commercial sources for machine gun barrels. They have also asked Winchester Arms Company to sell them 700 million rounds of small-arms ammunition. They are attempting to purchase through War Assets Administration approximately 150,000,000 rounds of 7.92 mm. surplus rifle ammunition. In addition is the requirement for 6 months’ reserve for peacetime Army program as transmitted by General Yu Ta-wei.47 On all of these [Page 754] requests this office has been approached for clearance, and I have continued to stall. It may be anticipated that further intensive activity along the foregoing lines will occur. Please verify my assumption that until the situation clears, shipment of military end-use items to China obtained from any source should continue to be deferred. A consideration is also that Chinese may go to British, Belgians, Russians or other sources if turned down by U. S. State Department is prepared to intercede with these other sources to prevent shipments if desired.
- Chinese Minister of Communications.↩