EVACUATION OF CHINESE NATIONALIST PERSONNEL FROM BURMA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003000010017-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: February 17, 1954
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2006/03/17 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R003000010017-4
C'.
0
P
Y
TOP SECRET
OPERATIOIIS C00PDIITATIITG BOARD
Washington 25, D, C.
17110RAITDUT?1 TO TEE E G CUTIVE Orr- ICER, 0
SUBJECT: Evacuation of Chinese Rationalist Personnel from Burma
I E 1 TCE : ITSC 1+6/2, page 6, paragraph 22.
Paragraph 22 of IUSC 1.6/2, referred to above, provides for continua-
tion of diplomatic pressure for the repatriation to Formosa of Chinese
Nationalist personnel from Burma, and for consideration of U.S. logistic
support if transportation is not available. This paragraph has been a
priority item for the OC13 Working Group on ITSC 1+6/2, which in view of
recent developments submits the following recommendations to the OCB, the
first as a matter of urgency. Details are set forth in the Annex.
Recommendations:
1. That additional funds in the amount of $222,000 be made available
to the Department of State to cover the U.S. financial share of the second
phase of evacuation beam February 14, on the understandinu that all unusc:
funds will be returned to the Treasury once all phases of the evacuation
are considered finished.
2. That the OCD take note of the prospects for a third phase ac
described in the Annex, and of the possibility that additional funds now
roughly estimated at $175,000 may later be requested for that phase.
/$/
DOS and NSC review(s) completed.
Alfred le S. Jeni:ins
Acting Chairman
OCI3 Working Group on :TIC 11+6/2
and ITSC 166/1
TOP :SECRET
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February 17, 1954
ANNEX
Evacuation of Chinese Nationalist Personnel from Burma
FINANCIAL BACKGROVIJD:
Following the UN resolution of April 23, 1953, a military work-Lag c_cjF1-
mittee of Burma, China, Thailand and the U.S. began meeting at Ban;ols tc:
plan and execute an evacuation. Agreement was soon reached in principle ;hat
each of the first three countries should share expenses in its own Jerrit-,)ry
and that the U.S. would share with each, in proportions to be determiner ,-,ter
at the Governmental level, in June 1953 the sum of $281,000 was made at .:t-
able to the Department of State for the then estimated U.S. share oa:? trar;-
portation costs (as distinct from "inducement" money, which was pro'idec -.n
the amount of $200,000 as a separate allocation). At this internedi.ate
stage an evacuation of up to 3,000 men was envisaged. The committee disvissed
an operation overland through Thailand thence by sea to Formosa, but the Mai
adam
tl
an
y opposed surface transit of their whole territory and insisted,
with Chinese support, on an airlift from near the Thailand-Burma border.
Since Thai cooperation was, and is, a sine qua non, subsequent planning s
been on the basis of the airlift.
Burma withdrew from the committee in mid-September, for political
reasons, and did not later share in the
expenses of the first ev
c
ti
.
a
ua
on..
As plans were developed there were in fact no major expenses in Burmese -?r-
ritory during that operation.
First Phase: An air evacuation of 2,260 Chinese (1,925 troops, 335
dependents) was completed between November 7 and December 8, 1953, at a
total transportation cost of $352,980. Of this the U.S. paid $186,058;
rest was paid by China and Thailand, using FOA counterpart. Since less ?Iin
3,000 were evacuated the full amount of U.S. funds for use in the Thtilarv -
China operation was not spent, while the funds provided for use in Dhurma
went untouched. Of the $281,000 destined for transportation there gums rc?
maimed an unspent $94,942 of U.S. money after 2,260 Chinese had been
repatriated.
Second Phase: Until December 7 further evacuation had not been
envisaged.. 0n tat date, however, word was received that President Chiarr
had addressed a strong appeal to the guerrillas for further exodus, and thrt
China wished to evacuate up to 3,000 more men. Political neGotiations for
this "second phase" were difficult and were completed only on February 1C,
1954, In view of the uncertainties the Department of State did not wish t,
request more money until the second phase was actually begun. It started
February 14 and is now under way. Funds are thus required soon for the U..
share of Phase Two, in the riafrsuri amount of $222,000.
Third Phase: Further Chinese proposals, while now still in a formats >e
stage, indicate that after the current second phase is completed there may-
be a third phase involving some 1,500 men in the Tenasserim area of lower
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Burria. While such an operation is in the U.S. interest, practical diff=.cul-
ties mole its realization still uncertain at this stage, with no clear
fi,-ures determinable. A rough calculation based proportionately on Phase T
would indicate that a further $175,000 night be needed for Phase Three.
These funds are not now requested, but attention is called to the possil.ility
that they may be asked for later.
BEEAKDC W11 OF TRAPISPORTATIOII COSTS:
Ou tlays in Phase One:
C.A.T. was contracted for the airlift, at $123 a head. The U.S. and
China shared these costs, two parts to one, while Thailand provided all
other facilities--ground installations, housing, maintenance of security
troops, food, etc. It should here be noted that China also bore the full
cost of resettlement on Formosa--sore $442,000 out of FOA counterpart--:which
does not figure in transportation costs. The latter were:
U.S. ......???.... $186,058 (approx. 2/3 airlift)
China ............ 91,922 (approx. 1/3 airlift)
Thailand ..,...s.. 75,000
Total ...... 3 2, 0 for 2,260 evacuees.
Of the $281,000 provided for the U.S. share, $240,000 was for expenses
in Thailand and $41,000 for the same in Durma. As the latter sum was urtsperi
in Phase One, and as Burma has agreed to pay all reasonable expenses of the
second phase incurred in its territory, it is considered that the $41,00 is
now available for Phase Two in Thailand. The full carry-over from Phan. On(
is thus:
$53,942 (unspent from $240,000 Thailand allocation
41 000 (unspent original Burma allocation)
9,92
Estimated Costs for Phase Two:
Before discussing costs for Phase Two attention is invited to the fol-
lowing considerations:
(1) "Inducement" payments, or "debts and bonuses," have already been
provided for in Phase Two and do not enter into the present calculations.
(2) Following Phase One the Thai asked to be relieved of the expense
of bus transport and security to Latipang airfield 170 riles south of the
border, offering in return to habilitate the nearer Chiengrai airfield.
This saved the Thai $5.56 a head but added $5.00 to the airlift price. In
view of Thai reluctance to participate otherwise, the proposal was agreed
to and the per capita price is now $128.
(3) Burma has agreed to bear all "reasonable" expenses of Phase Two
in its territory. These are understood to include: (a) packing and truck-
ing surrendered arms to Kengtung airfield in Burma, for airlift to Formosa;
(b) transportation of prisoners and possibly refugees from Mandalay to the
border point. It is not believed politic to press Burma for further financ---_
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The figures which follow represent a Yaaximwn estimate based on air.
liftinC 3,000 regular evacuees, plus 196 military prisoners and 178 civ,liat
refugees held by the Burmese--a total of 3,371+ persons--as well as the
transportation of surrendered arms from the border point to Formosa. E>ytimL
are based on fi^ures furnished by the committee at Bangkok:
(1) Airlift 3,371+ at $128 ................. $1+31,872
(2) Airlift arms of 3,000 men ......?.