CO129-591-18 Liberation of Hong Kong- arrangements for Japanese surrender 15-8-1945 - 19-4-1946 — Page 150

[3824B Wt. 47664/398 20m. 1:45 C.N.1.d. 748

Paskin

25.8.45

Mr.

Mr.

Mr..

Salier

Mr.

Mr.

DRAFT. LETTER

TOP SECRET

150

39

Permi. U.S. 01 St

Pariy. U.S. of S.

Secretary of State.

25 August, 1945

FOR SIR GEORGE GATER'S SIGNATURE

GENERAL SIR HASTINGS ISMAY

Thank you for your letter of

yesterday about the arrangements for

accepting a Japanese surrender at

SYNNOTT

Hong Kong.

As I expect

expéct

have heard,

Mr. Bevin Zast night authorised the

g/a telegram

despatch to Chungking on the general

lines of the draft/which had previously

been prepared by the Foreign Office.

As I expected, Mr. Bevin fully

shared the view⇓ of my Secretary of

agree to

State that we could not accept the

suggestion that the Commander of the

British Force should accept the

Japanese surrender as a delegate of

Chiang Kai Shek. The principal reasons

for this view are:

Mil Branch

(a) that it is most important

to us to avoid any

appearance of receiving

Hong Kong back from the

Chinese; and

(b) that the suggestion that the

British Force Commander

should act as the delegate

of Chiang Kai Shek might

/well

FURTHER ACTION.

Copy to Сору Mi Sterndale

Bennett

Fo..

1 Bord Shannon

P.N.N.

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