Register of the China Defense Supplies records

Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff

Hoover Institution Library and Archives

434 Galvez Mall

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305-6003

hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu

URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives

Title: China Defense Supplies records

Date (inclusive): 1940-1947

Collection Number: 2008C96

Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives

Language of Material: English

Physical Description: 50 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder (23.1 Linear Feet)

Abstract: Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and financial and personnel records relating to procurement and shipment of war materièl from the United States to China during World War II, military operations in the China-Burma-India Theater, and wartime diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Includes office files of William S. Youngman, Jr., as president of China Defense Supplies.

Creator: Youngman, William Sterling, 1907-1994

Creator: China Defense Supplies

Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Access

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Acquisition Information

Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2008, with an increment received in 2011.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], China Defense Supplies records, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Historical Note

China Defense Supplies, Inc. was the main agency for coordinating Lend-Lease aid to China from the United States. Incorporated in the United States in 1941, China Defense Supplies was an organization of the Chinese government chaired by T. V. Soong, but staffed by Americans and based in Washington, D.C.

In 1941, China Defense Supplies worked to improve transportation over the Burma Road, the main Lend-Lease supply route to China. When the Japanese invasion of Burma in 1942 impeded access to the Burma Road, China Defense Supplies initiated the Emergency Air Transport Program to fly goods from India to China and helped to develop an air transport route over a stretch of the Himalayas nicknamed "The Hump." China Defense Supplies also worked to secure supplies for the American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers.

As Soong spent increasingly less time in Washington during the latter years of the war, the decision was made to dissolve China Defense Supplies in 1944 and establish a successor organization, the Chinese Supply Commission, which was also active in obtaining reconstruction aid for China following the war. S. C. Wang became the chairman of this organization in September 1945, when the activities of the Chinese Supply Commission shifted from wartime supply to the procurement of materials needed to rebuild China's economy.

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, and financial and personnel records relating to procurement and shipment of war materiel from the United States to China during World War II, military operations in the China-Burma-India Theater, and wartime diplomatic relations between China and the United States. The office files of William S. Youngman, Jr., President of China Defense Supplies, can be found throughout the collection.

The General Office File contains administrative documents such as financial and personnel records, in addition to correspondence and files on individuals employed by or associated with China Defense Supplies. This series includes a history of China Defense Supplies that provides detailed information about its various projects and discusses strategy decisions in the China-Burma-India Theater. Also included are daily reports, weekly information letters, and meeting minutes of the Planning Committee, which give an in-depth look at the activities of China Defense Supplies.

On July 1, 1944, the Chinese Supply Commission was established as a successor organization to China Defense Supplies. Material created by the Chinese Supply Commission can be found within the general office file, in the correspondence, and scattered throughout the collection; these materials can be identified by date.

Material organized by the activities of various departments of China Defense Supplies can be found in the Departments File, which is divided into six departments: Aviation, Medical and Miscellaneous Supplies, Motor Transport/Transportation, Ordnance, Signal Corps, and Traffic. For more material concerning the Motor Transport/Transportation Department, see the Oversize materials.

The Subject File contains information on projects that were central to the work of China Defense Supplies, such as Lend-Lease operations and supply routes. Included are documents on the Emergency Air Transport Program and the Burma Road. The reports by Gordon Tweedy and Don F. Harding (Box 42, Folders 17-18 and Box 43, Folders 1-3), mostly in the form of correspondence, discuss matters of interest in India. Materials created by various China Defense Supplies departments may also be found in this file.

The Transportation Fuel Executive File documents projects involving the Kansu Oil Fields and other fuel operations. Since fuel was integral to the work of both the Motor Transport/Transportation Department and the Aviation Department, materials relevant to those departments can be found in this file.

In addition to William Sterling Youngman's role as the president of China Defense Supplies, Youngman, who throughout the 1940s worked as an attorney in a firm headed by Thomas G. ("Tommy the Cork") Corcoran, also played a significant role in the American Volunteer Group (AVG). The American Volunteer Group, better known as the Flying Tigers, was a group that China Defense Supplies worked with to transport aid to the Chinese government prior to the U.S. entry into World War II. The pilots of the American Volunteer Group were paid through contracts with the Central Air Manufacturing Company (CAMCO), which also recruited pilots and acted as an intermediary between the Chinese government and the American Volunteer Group. The American Volunteer Group (AVG)/Central Air Manufacturing Company (CAMCO) File documents the financial relationship between CAMCO, the American Volunteer Group, and China Defense Supplies. Materials include audits, financial documents, personnel files, and a roster of American Volunteer Group pilots. The general files consist mainly of correspondence, including letters from Claire Chennault and T. V. Soong.

When the American Volunteer Group disbanded in July 1942, some of its members joined the Chinese National Aviation Corporation (CNAC). Pilots from the Chinese National Aviation Corporation transported Lend-Lease supplies from India to China over a treacherous stretch of the Himalayan Mountains known as "The Hump." This series contains telegrams between Harold M. Bixby, Vice President of Pan American Airways, and William L. Bond, who was employed by CNAC. Since the Aviation Department of China Defense Supplies was involved in the work of both of these groups, materials on the American Volunteer Group and the Chinese National Aviation Corporation can be found in the Departments File under the Aviation Department subseries and under air transport in the Subject File.

The Speeches and Writings series contains drafts of speeches by T. V. Soong, who served as chairman of China Defense Supplies. His correspondence can be found throughout the collection.

Related Materials

William Sterling Youngman papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Claire Lee Chennault papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives

T. V. (Tzu-wen) Soong papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Whiting Willauer papers, Princeton University Library Mudd Manuscripts Library

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War, 1939-1945 -- Diplomatic history

World War, 1939-1945 -- China

World War, 1939-1945 -- United States

China -- Foreign relations -- United States

United States -- Foreign relations -- China

World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Burma

World War, 1939-1945 -- Transportation

World War, 1939-1945 -- Equipment and supplies

Lend-lease operations (1941-1945)

World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- China

General Office File 1940-1947

Scope and Contents note

Includes correspondence, memoranda, financial documents, personnel files, and reports, arranged alphabetically by subject or format.

box 1, folder 1

General 1942-1945

box 1, folder 2

Activities of China Defense Supplies 1941-1944

box 1, folder 3-4

Addresses 1942-1943, 1946

box 1, folder 5

Administrative 1941-1943

Air priority

box 1, folder 6-8

Certificates 1942-1943

box 1, folder 9

Correspondence 1943-1944

box 1, folder 10

Domestic 1943-1944

box 1, folder 11

Foreign travel 1942-1943

box 1, folder 12

Audits 1941-1944

box 2, folder 1

Balance sheet 1941

box 2, folder 2-3

Bank notes 1942

box 2, folder 4

Bank of China 1941-1942

Board of Directors

box 2, folder 5

Agenda for first meeting 1941

box 2, folder 6

Annual meeting circa 1945

box 2, folder 7

Meetings 1941-1943

box 2, folder 8

By-laws undated

box 2, folder 9

By-laws and certificate of incorporation 1941, undated

Chinese Supply Commission

box 2, folder 10

Administrative 1945-1946

box 2, folder 11

Advisers 1946-1947

Scope and Contents note

From the files of John B. Nason

box 2, folder 12

Letter from Youngman about formation of the Chinese Supply Commission and other materials 1943-1945

Reports

box 2, folder 13

General Situation Report on CSC Affairs 1947

box 2, folder 14

Report on Lend-Lease operations May 7, 1945

box 2, folder 15

"Report on the Work of the Chinese Supply Commission, September 1945-February 1947"

box 2, folder 16

Reports to China 1946-1947

box 2, folder 17

"Summary of Chinese Supply Commission Operations During 1946," 1947

box 2, folder 18

Complaint file 1942

Scope and Contents note

Includes memos for the president and letters to Hopkins and Stimson

box 2, folder 19

Contracts 1941

box 2, folder 20

Coordination of liaison activities 1941

Correspondence

Letters

General

box 2, folder 21

1941

box 2, folder 22

1942

box 3, folder 1

1943

box 3, folder 2

1944

box 3, folder 3

1945

box 3, folder 4

Chen, R.C. 1941-1943

box 3, folder 5

China Defense Supplies offices in the Far East 1943-1944

box 3, folder 6

Courtesy letters, incoming 1942

box 3, folder 7

Export applications 1941-1942

box 3, folder 8

Liaison correspondence 1941-1942

box 3, folder 9

Miscellaneous 1941-1942

Telegrams

General

box 3, folder 10-11

1941

box 3, folder 12-15

1942

box 3, folder 16

1943

box 4, folder 1

1943

box 4, folder 2-3

1944

box 4, folder 4-9

1946

Scope and Contents note

Includes materials from the files of John B. Nason and William S. Youngman

box 4, folder 10-13

1947

Scope and Contents note

Includes materials from the files of John B. Nason and William S. Youngman

box 4, folder 14

Air shipments 1942-1944

box 5, folder 1-2

Boat shipments 1943-1944

box 5, folder 3-5

Chen, R.C. 1941-1942

box 5, folder 6

Chiang, Kai-Shek 1942

box 5, folder 7

Drafts 1942, undated

box 5, folder 8

London (Wellington Koo) 1941-1942

box 6, folder 1-2

Shaughnessy, M. Quinn 1942

box 6, folder 3-4

Tweedy, Gordon 1942

box 6, folder 5

Department indexes 1942

box 6, folder 6

Duties of personnel on payroll 1944

box 6, folder 7

Executive file 1941

box 6, folder 8

Expense account of John B. Nason 1941-1944

box 6, folder 9

Expenses and salaries 1943

box 6, folder 10-11

Finance Committee 1942-1944

box 6, folder 12

Finances 1942-1944

box 6, folder 13-14

Financial reports 1942-1945

box 7, folder 1

Foreign funds control, forms, and correspondence 1941

box 7, folder 2

Guard force 1942-1944

box 7, folder 3

Guard schedules 1942-1943, undated

History of China Defense Supplies

box 7, folder 4

Appendices to January 17, 1944 report and notes 1943-1944

box 7, folder 5

Correspondence 1944

box 7, folder 6-7

Final report 1945

box 7, folder 8

"A Short History of China Defense Supplies, Inc." 1942

box 7, folder 9

Working papers 1944-1945

box 7, folder 10

Holiday 1943

Individuals

Alsop, Joseph Wright, Jr.

box 7, folder 11

General 1943, undated

box 7, folder 12

Receipts 1941

box 7, folder 13

Blandford, John, Jr. 1946

box 7, folder 14

Bond, W. L. 1941-1942

box 7, folder 15

Bonnevale, R. W. 1941-1942

box 8, folder 1

Brennan, James J. 1942-1945

box 8, folder 2

Corcoran, David M. 1942

box 8, folder 3

Currie, Lauchlin 1941-1942

box 8, folder 4

Davies, John 1942

box 8, folder 5

Elder, James C. 1942

box 8, folder 6

Eliot, George Fielding (Indian Ocean) 1942

box 8, folder 7

Fraumann, George B. 1942-1944

box 8, folder 8

Gullander, Elsa 1942

Harding, Donald F.

box 8, folder 9

General 1942-1944

box 8, folder 10

Selective Service file 1942-1944

box 8, folder 11

Ho, Hanson 1942

box 8, folder 12

Hopkins, Harry 1942

box 8, folder 13

Li, E. C. 1942

box 8, folder 14

Lloyd, Madison E. 1942-1943

box 8, folder 15

Lovett, Robert 1941-1942

box 8, folder 16

Lui, J. Heng 1941-1942

box 8, folder 17

Matteson, E. L. 1942

box 8, folder 18

Morris, Lawrence 1941-1942

box 8, folder 19

Nason, John B. 1943-1944

box 8, folder 20

Price, Frank W. 1941

Price, Harry B.

box 8, folder 21-23

General 1941-1944

box 8, folder 24

Correspondence on articles 1942

box 8, folder 25

Ostrow, Arnold 1941-1942

Rajchman, Ludwick

box 8, folder 26

General 1941-1943

Scope and Contents note

Includes Rajchman's statement on the transition period

box 8, folder 27

Health projects 1941

Scope and Contents note

Includes malaria mission

box 8, folder 28

Ray, Frank 1942-1943

box 8, folder 29

Schaberg, Benjamin F. 1942

box 8, folder 30

Shaughnessy, M. Quinn 1941-1944

box 8, folder 31

Shen, T. H. 1942-1943

box 8, folder 32

Soong, T. V. (Trip to Chungking) 1942

box 8, folder 33

Taub, Alex 1945-1946

box 9, folder 1

Tweedy, Gordon 1942-1945

Willauer, Whiting

box 9, folder 2

General 1942-1944

box 9, folder 3

Trip to China 1942-1944

box 9, folder 4

Williams, Donald H. 1944

box 9, folder 5

Insurance, C.C. Chien of National Resources Commission 1945, undated

box 9, folder 6

Insurance, maritime 1942-1944

box 9, folder 7

Interoffice, miscellaneous 1842-1943

box 9, folder 8

Library list 1942-1943

Liquidation of China Defense Supplies

box 9, folder 9

Correspondence with T. V. Soong 1944-1945

box 9, folder 10

Property in Washington 1944-1947

box 9, folder 11

Telegrams to T. V. Soong 1944-1945

box 9, folder 12

Long distance telephone calls undated

box 9, folder 13

Mail distribution 1941-1943

box 9, folder 14

Mailing list (War Agencies - United China Relief) 1942

Meeting minutes

box 9, folder 15

Executive Committee 1943-1945

box 9, folder 16-18

Staff and executive meetings 1942-1943

box 10, folder 1-2

Staff and executive meetings 1943-1944

box 10, folder 3

War Department, organization 1941

box 10, folder 4-6

Memoranda 1941-1947

box 10, folder 7

Memoranda to all China Defense Supplies staff 1942-1943

box 10, folder 8

Office schedule 1942, undated

Offices

box 10, folder 9

1212 18th Street, Northwest 1942

box 10, folder 10

1601 V Street, Northwest 1942-1943

box 10, folder 11

2020 16th Street, Northwest 1942

box 10, folder 12

2110 LeRoy Place, Aviation Department 1943

box 10, folder 13-14

2311 Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest 1942-1943

box 10, folder 15

Maintenance 1942

box 10, folder 16

Organization and liaison relations 1942

box 10, folder 17

Organization in China 1941-1942

box 10, folder 18

Passport information 1942

box 10, folder 19

Payroll 1942, undated

box 10, folder 20

Payroll working sheets 1942-1942

Personnel

box 10, folder 21-22

General 1941-1944

box 11, folder 1

Applicants 1942-1943

box 11, folder 2

Checks and salary information 1941-1946

box 11, folder 3

Lists 1942-1943, undated

box 11, folder 4

Local staff 1941

box 11, folder 5

Officers and staff members, salaries 1942-1943

box 11, folder 6

Organization by department 1941-1943

box 11, folder 7

Reports to Justice Department 1942-1946

box 11, folder 8-11

Planning Committee 1942-1944

Priority Board

box 11, folder 12

General 1942

box 11, folder 13

Meetings 1942

box 11, folder 14

Records and Reports Department 1941-1942

Reports

box 12, folder 3

Reports to T. V. Soong 1940-1942

box 12, folder 4-5

Weekly information letters 1943-1944

box 12, folder 6

Weekly reports 1942-1943

Daily reports

box 11, folder 15

1941

box 12, folder 1

1941

box 12, folder 2

1942

box 12, folder 7

Requests for travel authorization 1941-1942

box 12, folder 8

Riggs National Bank, special account, Corcoran, Bonnevalle, Morris 1941

box 12, folder 9-11

Salaries Committee 1942-1944

box 13, folder 1

Selective Service data 1943-1944

box 13, folder 2

Special policemen 1942-1943

State Department forms

box 13, folder 3

PR-1, foreign official status notification 1941-1943

Scope and Contents note

Includes employment applications

box 13, folder 4

PR-2 1941-1944

Taxes

box 13, folder 5

General 1941-1944

box 13, folder 6

D.C. taxes 1944-1945, undated

box 13, folder 7

Unemployment Compensation Board 1944

box 13, folder 8

Visit requests 1942

box 13, folder 9

War Department, badges 1943-1944

box 13, folder 10

Miscellany 1943-1944

Departments File 1940-1944

Scope and Contents note

Includes correspondence, memoranda, supply lists, and reports, arranged into 6 groups by department, then alphabetically by subject or format thereunder.

Aviation Department

box 13, folder 11-12

General 1941-1942

box 14, folder 1-6

General 1942-1944

box 14, folder 7

Air equipment 1944

box 14, folder 8

Air fields 1943

box 14, folder 9

Airplane allocations 1942-1943

box 14, folder 10

Air shipments from the U.S. 1942

box 14, folder 11-13

Air Transportation Committee 1943-1944

box 14, folder 14

Allocations and assignments 1942

box 14, folder 15

Ammunition 1941-1944

box 14, folder 16

Aviation advisor 1941

box 14, folder 17

Aviation requirements undated

box 14, folder 18

Cargo planning data 1942-1943, undated.

Scope and Contents note

Includes blueprints

box 15, folder 1

Cargo planning data 1942-1943

box 15, folder 2

China's requirements for planes 1941-1944

box 15, folder 3

Chinese government plans for planes 1942

box 15, folder 4

Chinese training program 1941-1942

Correspondence

box 15, folder 5

General 1941-1943

box 15, folder 6

Sinclair 1942

box 15, folder 7

Conditions of India-China route 1942, undated

box 15, folder 8

Deliveries and diversions of cargo planes 1942, undated

box 15, folder 9

Equipment list of First Ferrying Group undated

box 15, folder 10

Flight summaries 1943-1944

box 15, folder 11

Fuel tanks 1942

box 15, folder 12

Gasoline containers 1942

Scope and Contents note

See also Transportation fuel executive file and Departments file -Motor Transport/Transportation Department

box 15, folder 13

Gliders 1940-1942

box 15, folder 14

India-China-Burma transport 1942-1943

box 15, folder 15

Lend-Lease budgets 1942

box 15, folder 16

Lend-Lease technicians sent to Far East 1942

box 15, folder 17

Link trailers 1942

box 16, folder 1

Meteorological equipment 1941-1942

box 16, folder 2

Nitrate dope, lacquer and thinner 1943

Planes

box 16, folder 3

C-47 test flight 1942

box 16, folder 4

C-47 transports 1942-1944

box 16, folder 5

C-53 transports 1942

box 16, folder 6

C-54 transports 1944, undated

box 16, folder 7

C-60 transports 1942

box 16, folder 8

P-40 1941

box 16, folder 9

Photographic equipment 1942

box 16, folder 10

Procedure for procurement and shipment 1942-1943

box 16, folder 11

Requirements 1941-1943

box 16, folder 12

Requisitions 1941

box 16, folder 13

Searchlights and sound locators 1941-1942

box 16, folder 14

Set up of Aviation Department with War Department 1942-1943

box 16, folder 15

Shipping tonnage requirements 1942

box 16, folder 16

Spare parts and repairing materials 1941-1944

box 16, folder 17

Status reports 1942

box 16, folder 18

Teletypes 1942-1943

Two-speed engines

box 16, folder 19

Correspondence 1942-1943

box 16, folder 20

Reports and test flight records 1943

box 16, folder 21

Universal Trading Corporation, purchases and orders 1941

box 16, folder 22

Weekly Newark inventory reports 1942-1943

box 16, folder 23

"What Airplanes Can Do," by Edward Warner 1942

box 16, folder 24

Wooden cargo aircraft 1942

Medical and Miscellaneous Supplies Department

box 17, folder 1

American Bureau for Medical Aid to China 1942

box 17, folder 2

Chinese Government War Supplies Agency 1944

box 17, folder 3

Correspondence 1942-1943

box 17, folder 4

Dehydrated foods 1942-1943

box 17, folder 5

Food concentrates 1942-1943

box 17, folder 6

General supplies 1941

box 17, folder 7

Inventory 1942-1943

box 17, folder 8

Inventory of supplies in India undated

box 17, folder 9

Medical 1941-1943, undated

box 17, folder 10

Medical Relief Corps (Robert Lim's report) 1941

box 17, folder 11-12

Medical supplies 1941-1942

box 17, folder 13

Miscellaneous supplies 1941

box 17, folder 14

Personal equipment 1941-1942

box 17, folder 15

Procedure for procurement 1942-1943

Red Cross

box 17, folder 16

General 1941-1943

box 17, folder 17

Conference 1941

box 17, folder 18

Statistics, Chinese receipts and needs 1941-1942

box 17, folder 19

Requests for assignment 1943

box 17, folder 20

Requirements 1941, undated

box 17, folder 21

Requirements for 1943 programs 1942

box 18, folder 1

Requirements for 1944 programs 1943-1944

box 18, folder 2

Requirements for 1945 programs 1943-1944

box 18, folder 3

Requirements for Northwest Epizootic Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture 1944

box 18, folder 4

Requirements from India and China 1942-1943.

Scope and Contents note

Includes National Health Administration requirements

box 18, folder 5

Status report of miscellaneous supplies 1944

Motor Transport/Transportation Department

box 18, folder 6-9

General 1941-1944, undated

box 18, folder 10

Asphalt 1941

box 18, folder 11

Boats and barges 1942-1943

box 19, folder 1

Correspondence 1941

box 19, folder 2

Diesel engines 1943

box 19, folder 3

Fuel - Vegetable oils for motor fuel 1942-1943

box 19, folder 4

Gasogenes 1943

box 19, folder 5

Gasoline containers 1942-1943.

Scope and Contents note

See also Transportation fuel executive file and Departments file - Aviation Department

box 19, folder 6

Index 1941

box 19, folder 7

Parts for Friends' Ambulance Unit 1943

box 19, folder 8

Railroad materials 1941-1943.

Scope and Contents note

Includes correspondence on Yunnan-Burma Railway

box 19, folder 9

Repair shops 1942-1943

Requirements.

Scope and Contents note