FO371-46253 — Page 188

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

The circulation of this paper has been strictly limited.

It is issued for the personal use of..........

5/5 Forsign affairs

104

TOP SECRET

C.C.S.(45) 549 (0)

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE

26TH AUGUST, 1945

Copy No.....

COMMAND OF HONG KONG

Reference: J. P. (45) 208 (Final)

Copy of a letter dated 25th August, 1945 from the Foreign Office to the Secretary

Chiefs of staff Committee

1. It is of course for the Chiefs of staff alone to judge what are the most convenient arrangements for Command at Hong Kong from the military angle. We are only concerned with the foreign reactions of their decision.

2.

From this point of view I should like to emphasise the importance of avoiding anything which Chiang Kai-shek can interpret as "jumping" him. I sincerely hope he may not raise further difficulty about the surrender arrangements, but our brush with him about those arrangements will probably leave him somewhat touchy for a time.

3. So far as I am aware there is no agreement yet between all concerned for the abolition or modification of the theatre commands as they existed prior to the Japanese surrender. It is possible that Chiang Kai-shek expects the China theatre to go on as before, i.e. including Hong Kong, until some decision is reached by the Combined Chiefs of Staff, in agreement with him, for taking Hong Kong out of it.

4. If before any steps have been taken to arrange matters on these lines, he learns that we have made independent arrangements about Command and especially perhaps if we claim to transfer the Command to Admiral Mountbatten we risk an explosion in which Chiang Kai-shek will probably have United States support.

5. A subsidiary point is that the proposed telegram to the J.S.M. Washington (Annex 2 to the paper under reference) is silent as to what is to happen before Hong Kong comes under Admiral Mountbatten. Should we not say (or propose) that during that period Hong Kong should be directly under the British Chiefs of Staff or at least that the latter will continue to effect liaison between the officer Commanding the British Naval Force and Chungking?

6. I understand that J.P. (45) 208 (Final) was considered by the Chiefs of Staff yesterday, though without any final decision being taken. I have not yet seen the Minutes of yesterday's meeting, and it is possible that they may cover the points I have raised. But to save time in the contrary event I send this letter without waiting for them.

offices of the Cabinet and

Minister of Defence, S.W.1.

26TH AUGUST, 1945

(signed) J.C. STERNDALE BENNET

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