The Nome nugget., 1942-03-02
The Story Behind Chiang
 kai-Shek's Visit To India

Washington - The visit Ot BenerallSSlmo Cmal8 Ka-Shek to the capital of India is of the most S nifcant in the history of ancient Asia Perhaps not since the days of Kubla Khan has the leader of one great Asatic race totaling 400 million people visited the capital of another great Asatlc race, numpefh8 300 million people. visit with msgving horror For in the past they have desired unity between the brown and yellow races of Asia. However, there is extremely significant diplomacy behind the trip of the Chinese generassmo to India First it foreShadoWs route for Chinese supplies through India; for if the Burma Road should be closed China must have new supply route or out fighting Second it means that China is going to play 8 greater part in the Far Eastern war
 It hasn't leaked out yet, but Chang kal-ohek had to use hard-boed diplomacy to win all this. In fact he admost threatened pail and Aguinaldo and join the Japanese.
 China Is Rehuffed
 Here is the inside story of what happened. Shortly after General Wavell was appointed commander-n- chief of the Far Eastern forces Chang KaiShek offer ed him three Chinese army corps to hght m elther Burma or Singapore or both However, WaVell turned a cold shoulder. No explanation was given, but the Chinese got the impression that the British Indian Gov ernment had political reasons for not wanting Chinese troops involved.
 After this rebuff Foreign Minister T. " Soong sta- toned in Washington syly suggested that it might be good strategy for the United States to employ the strategy as the British-namely let other people do the fighting for them in the East Just he English were using Indian, Malay and Anzac roops, Dr. Soong suggested the OnlLeQ fnlS use CnlneSe troops And he guaranteed that his countrymen itching to fight All they needed little help in getting artillery, machine guns arpanes and tanks.
 Soong pointed out that China had army of vet erans seasoned by five years of fighting By arming them he said the United States could get started in the Far East without waiting to train it's Also the United States could the long haul of troops half way around the world, to the East Indies How ever when U S. military men sat down and began to figure that soldier in the field Cat least American soldier) needs 100 pounds of supplies and ammunition daily, they didn't see how they could supply very big Chinese army So they gave the Chinese dscou- raging answer
 Chiang Threatens Peace
 It about this time that diplomatic dynamite ex- poded in the Far East In the first place Secretary of the Navy Knox popped off with his statement about Hitler being our chief enemy-Which made the Chin csc think willing to appease Japan. Second, Captain Fritz Wiedemann, ex-Naz Consul in San Fran cisco and World War aide to Hitler in China try ing to do appeasing himself According to dplo- matic dispatches, what Wiedemann told the Chinese something like this: 'You have been fighting for years and where you? Furthermore, what your great friends the British and Americans sending you? Nothing And if they win, they will be back demand ing eXtra-territoria rights. On the other hand, if win, you can count on Germany to help you make fair peace with Japan
 Wiedemann's diplomacy had definite effect upon