893.20 Mission/7–747
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Chinese Affairs (Ringwalt) to Brigadier General Marshall S. Carter 47
AAG. As a new long-term program, General Lucas proposes48 that the AAG supervise the work of training schools, assist in the development of logistic and other services, and most important of all, assist in the training of combat troops. In support thereof, he proposes as an emergency measure to provide equipment for training the Chinese Army, ammunition for training and operations, repair parts for weapons, vehicles, and aircraft, and additional transport aircraft to support combat operations. He recommends that some form of control over the use of this equipment be vested in the AAG. If this were done, General Lucas believes the AAG could exert sufficient influence to improve the strategy of Government forces and the quality of Government leadership. If such an emergency measure is adopted, he considers that there is a reasonable chance of Government forces maintaining a foothold in Manchuria.
(The War Department states that no communication requesting a changed directive has been received from General Lucas. The War Department will initiate no action unless such a request is received. WM49)
Annex 150 to General Lucas’ letter reveals that 1,236 military personnel are assigned to the AAG—a number considerably in excess of its authorized strength of 750. Of these, 855, or approximately seventy percent, are listed as performing administrative duties. It is understood that the AAG is providing for the administrative and service needs of all Army units in China and may thus claim justification for carrying personnel over its authorized strength. It would nevertheless appear that its current over-strength is excessive, and that the number of AAG personnel assigned to administrative duties is out of proportion to the number listed as engaged in the advisory missions with which the AAG is charged.
NAG. Admiral Murray indicates that should present restrictions be lifted the Navy program would continue for the most part in its present form.