CO129-591-14 Military Administration- liaison with Chinese and American forces 11-4-1945 - 25-7-1945 — Page 28

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The far office representatives said that

they would take this matter up as soon as the

meeting had been concluded.

The meeting then considered the treatment

of British internees in China.

FR. DAVIDSON, Frisoners of War Department,

Foreign Office, said that a short-term policy

and a long-term policy were both required.

short-term policy would apply to internees on

their release. It seemed to him that most

would want to get out of China as early as they

could. There was a food shortage in Shanghai

which would make matters difficult if they

stayed on. In Manila the military authorities

got internees out quickly before even American

and British Consuls arrived on the spot. AS

regards Shanghai, mich depended on whether the

Chinese or the merican military authorities

freed the place. If the latter, the internees

could be got out quite quickly; but if the

former, then a more elaborate organisation in

Shanghai would be required. In the case of

Japan the responsibility would lie with the

military authorities who would get the civil

internees to Manila. There were rumours current

that the Haiphong Road Camp in Shanghai had

1

been moved to Japan and possibly some H ong

Kong internees had been moved to the mainl and,

A team would be required for Shanghai to give

advice to the military authorities concerned

about food, clothes, Red Cross supplies, etc.

/and