SUPPLIES FOR CHINA November 28, 1942 1. China is in more urgent need of supplies now than any other one of our allies. England and Australia are well provided for. Russia has received enormous quantities in spite of loss in transit, but China has received practically nothing--caused primarily by the invasion of Burma and the loss of trade routes. 2. It is very evident that until the Burma Road can be re- opened or some short route developed between India and China, it will be necessary to have a combination of air and ground trans- portation in order to increase the delivery of supplies to China. 3. There are now over 73,000 tons of supplies for China in India, as per list attached, and the logical thing is to deliver these supplies first. This can be done if we adopt the following procedure: a. Increase the number of transport cargo planes. b. Develop new roads from Sadiya to connect with points on the Burma Road using such equipment as they may now have on hand in China and Chinese laborers. c. Repair the trucks now in use on the Burma Road and establish a system of maintenance. There are now 1,800 tons of parts for these trucks in Karachi and complete maintenance shop equipment which have never been delivered to China. d. There is a possibility of using some river routes which should be investigated; and, if the railways between Karachi and Sadiya are crowded with freight, there is no reason why supplies can not be delivered to Calcutta by vessel and from there to Sadiya by rail. 4. Meager reports now available in the United States indicate that a great increase in the delivery of tonnage to China can be done by following the above suggestions with the equipment and supplies which are now in China and India. The attached map show the available and suggested routes which should be investigated. /s/ Campbell THOMAS CAMPBELL, Colonel, Air Corps, Overseas Division, Air Service Command 1 Incl. - Map |