*Portion of Diary

Kept by Maj. Geo. M. Hoas, D.C., Sp. Ser. Off.

Tenth Air Force 1944

Monday, 10 May

Talked to a refuge flown out of China who related his experiences. From Chicago, Ill. He had a GI fatigue hat on top of his head, it being too small, a khaki shirt, shorts with no pockets, showing flesh through pocket openings, GI sox and GI shoes. He had shipped from San Francisco the middle of Sep. 1941 on MALDOVA—General Steamship Co. Am Pres. Line to hong Kong—took 33 days—flying Panama flag. Arrived Hong Kong latter part of cOctober—went to hospital for 2 months—ship went on. Received job aboard Admiral Williams—to go back Dec. 15 as ship was in dry dock. War started Dec. 8 at 7:50 AM—bombed Kai Tak Airport, nothing in air for defense. Crew of Admiral Williams was in Hong Kong—reported to British authorities and were assigned various jobs—American Red Cross man caught in Kowloon—area across river. On Dec. 23rd at 5:45 AM—was wounded by shell fragment bomb—taken to Queen Mary Hospital—Japs came in Dec. 25. One Scot in hospital said Japs beat them by using trench mortars. The (Jap) shock troops came first—Japs finest fighters. Broke through North Point—no air support for British. The AA was lousy. The Middlesex English were on island, while in New Territory across river were Scotts, Indians and Canadians. Said had 2 years supply of food on island, yet he was approached one day while working on food control by soldiers who had been in godown four days with no food.

When the Japs came in they were allowed three days for rape and pillage. All (British) nurses in hospital submitted to rape or were bayonetted. One doctor was shot—for no reason.

One Jap officer asked nurses if they could identify men who mistreated them—they recognized five—the Jap officer pulled his pistol out and shot them on the spot. The Jap army, navy and gendarmerie frequently become involved in fights as none like the other—and often kill each other. The men in the navy are superior in intelligence to army soldiers—Navy has been around world—inside ports in other countries, know more. Army soldiers are savages, half from rice paddies.

The American army bombing was accurate. Japs took over Queen Mary hospital Jan 15. All patients filled out a form-combatants or non-combatants. All who could walk were transferred to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp. Japs offered to let staff of Queen Mary carry on but they went to internment camp. All nurses had venereal disease. Many committed suicide. He went to Tweed Bay Hospital. The quarters were fine as it had been used by English in charge of the prison there. Food was bad—rice, soy bean and fish, insufficient quantities. Van Ness CNAC mechanic, now in Calcutta and O Neill discovered a small boat under a tree, made a rudder that didn’t fit—took measurements at night—used blankets for sail—night got by 2 Henry boats—another man named Israel Eppstein (a Polish Jew?) who claimed to be American—has written several books on Chinese people—also along. They made it okeh to Portugese colony—Apr. 3 made break from MACAU with 16 Philipinos. The Japs control food—and through food control Portugese who hate the Japs. Dictator of Brazil told Japs he’d kill 10 Japs to one in Brazil for every Portugese killed. Japs understand that kind of language. In hong Kong is only a token garrison—they are building wooden boats there—didn’t know size. The Japs in Canton and Hong Kong amuse themselves by having beggars ties up and watching savage police dogs tear them to pieces. The Japs drinking tea all the while at the race course. When Americans bomb Canton—Chinese say “They haven’t forgotten us”—they get drunk and kill Jap officers. After Americans have gone—Jap pilots go up and pretend to hunt the bombers to save face. If Allies ever start a campaign begin to win; Jap blood will run in the streets—everyone hates them.

He said little Chinese girls were kidnapped and the flesh cut from the inside of their thighs and sold for pork. All food exorbitantly high. Japs have an island near by where they take the Chinese—no food—they eat each other. When new boatload arrives—the stronger lives—the weaker eaten. The beaches are strewn with human skeletons. The Japs take what they want—even from neutral Portugese—by controlling food supplies.

Either Portugese give them what they ask for or no food. Yet the Portuguese are not afraid of them—and despise them and will murder them at the first opportunity. He repeated that all atrocities are true. However, he said Japanese business men agree that it was the worst thing Japan ever did when they attacked U. S. and Britain. Jap soldiers who have been to U. S. like Americans. Many try to keep the standard of Japanese army high. He repeated, “They are savages,” again and again. He said the Jap navy despises the Jap army and stated that the Jap army had lost face, in the Rape of Nanking both with Chinese and Japanese.

* * * * *

Col Barr told of being in China before war—when Japs had foreign concessions surrounded wit barbed wire—and nearly starved the British out. The Americans were with the french. Americans told Japs to take barbed wire down or they’d cut it down—which they did—and brought in provisions they needed. Barr said 23rd Inf. was there—and had been since Boxer revolution—one American equal to 20 Japs—and Japs knew it. The Japs would cross the street or duck out the way—or the Americans would pick one up and hurl him into the others.

Barr said used mortars in the Temple of Heaven where Boxers had “holed up”—then U.S. Gov’t. rebuilt the Temple using Oregon Pine from U.S.

Barr stated no one understands Chinese. He had been bargaining for a 7 headed brass Budda. The Chinese wanted $2.00—Barr offered $1.50. An American tourist came in—was told $150.00—tourist paid—Chinese said, “I can’t sell you this.” Later Barr asked him why. “I didn’t like him” was the reply. Later Barr bought it for #150.Barr told of trying to buy a rug—Chinese wanted $101.00, Barr offered $100.00. They bargained over a period of time—then Barr bought another rug he liked better elsewhere for less money. Later the Chinese travelled over 700 miles on a train and gave him the rug. Refused payment. Later Barr found 3 rugs in the roll each matching but different in size. He said “You go in home of Chinese and admire anything next day that article or one like it will be delivered to you.”

Talked to an RAF officer who had been employed by a tea company—who said Assam tea best in world except some gardens in Darjeeling—but that only a small portion of this tea was used to blend other poorer and coarser teas. All tea shipped to England where it is blended and packaged. Water is so important to tea that tea of same brand is changed for different localities in England to meet the local requirements of the water.

Use one Teaspoon full per person and one for pot. Bring water to boil, then pour it in the pot, (preferably earthen ware never silver) to heat the pot. Pour water out. Put tea in, then pour the water over leaves. Let the tea steep until the strength has been gained. When cups have been poured—pour more water in—and put a ____ over it to keep it warm. This Englishman said “Water is frightfully important.”

Also said most natives here have been imported—the difficulty of tea estates is to obtain enough washers. The tea leaves are ‘plucked’ by women, but there is lots of work for the men.

He said Cyber pass could be visited—but one had to be guarded as natives were definitely hostile. He told of the English furnishing them guns and ammunition to keep them quiet, tho they knew the natives would use them against the English. When the Indians serve with the army they are allowed to take guns with them. No one can shoot a native as long as he is on a road, but as soon as he steps off the road, he is fair game. All natives carry rifles and they even have a factory in the hills that the British know of—and the quantity of guns produces. Anytime an English column marches along the road it will be sniped at—and at night the camp will be full of bullets. There are about 14 tribes in the hills and after the crops are up, they like to fight—both among themselves and with the British. Once English gave natives guns—that night natives used them against the British—but British ‘got’ all of them. One officer said all troops care less about their guns and arms especially RAF. The other said 200 pistols were turned in each week to British authorities that had been left on transportation or in hotels.

“There are many more than that never turn in”, the other replied. The natives pick up all brass and steal guns when able.

Other officer said original Assamese live in central India and are all that are left of the original residents of India—aboriginals.

Lt. Conley said “If Chinese properly officered they are okeh.” He told of a dinner party he had attended on Salween River—Chinese General ran out of beer—sent out. Japs refused to furnish beer—said none after 10 P—General said this special party so Jap General allowed beer to be brought across river.

Lt. Col. Brown said Chinese will fight as long as ammunition lasts. Declared Naga knife best—machete no good in jungle—M1 fair gun- carbine best—can use both hands going through jungle when carrying carbine. Have to sling guns across shoulders. Greatest danger in jungle is falling down on bamboo stubs on bullochs—cutting oneself into ribbons—especially going downhill. Need a short barreled gun for jungle warfare. Tommy gun too heavy. Told of finding horse feed and 60 MM mortar ammunition in jungle—dropped in wrong place. Told of booby traps—hand grenades in tin cans with pill pulled-cans in crotches of trees—strings attached to trip—fall out of tree—explode. Told of having to trace strings to traps—told of running hands under 60 MM shells to find booby traps.

The Governor at Kunming cooperating more, he addressed school at Kunming. Has a large army 20M better equipped and trained than National army. Now National army has brought in troops and surrounded Governor’s army. One of his (4) sons was shot by Chinese officer who caught him red-handed smuggling—officer took his pistol out and shot him.

The Governor attended a banquet with others who were to run for Governor of province. He brought his soldiers—and stated, “I’m going to be Governor”—and he has been ever since. He’s never like banquets since that time.

He speaks no English—is about 65, well built—wear glasses.. Tried to resign but Kai Check would not accept.

* * * * *

The middle of February Lt. Geo Lawrence Graham, His Majesty’s Forces, visited us at our quarters. He kept us laughing all during his visit. He told us of his experiences in Burma. He had been in Burma twenty years. When the situation looked bad he sent his wife and children to Bombay from Mandalay. The Japs had warned the people with leaflets dropped from planes, and from loudspeakers on their planes. The Prime Minister had sold Burma to the Japs and had taken seven planes to carry his possessions out of the country. He had a receiver and sending set in his home that he had used to furnish the Japs military information. He had two wives, one Anglo, the other Burmese. When he went on a good will tour he left his Burmese wife but took the Anglo wife with hm. The Burmese wife “let the cat out of the bag.” He was arrested. Ninety to ninety-nine percent of the Burmese were fifth columnists. They are good people who like clothes, food and jewels. They try to outdo each other, and are inveterate gamblers, good hearted and easily led. They had never had any experience in politics, so when English gave them home-rule they became “cheeky” and wanted all the English to leave the country. The Japs came of=ver on Good Friday—23rd—in formation. He counted 175 bombers. He got Mrs. Mac and the kiddies in a “slit trench”. “Whee-boom-whosh-ca-wham”, he exclaimed. “That’s the way the bombs went. The building on all sides of them were on fire. They cowered in the trench, which had a tin roof. He had several tins of petrol in his house and fragments from the bombs had pierced the cans, allowing the petrol to run out of the house and down into the slit trench. He looked out and saw that the top of his house was on fire. Everything he had, including 45,000 rupees he had just withdrawn from the bank, was inside the house, which he had only recently built. He got Mrs. Mac and the kiddies out, and they ran for an open court that the Chinese had used to assemble trucks in. Just as they got there, the house and the slit trench exploded. Wham! A direct hit had demolished the cook house while they had been in the slit trench.

They started walking out of Mandalay. He was joined by four other men. By evening they arrived in a dense thicket of trees and found a village of Burmese there. The Englishmen made the Burmese kill chickens and roast them over a fire. The English were unarmed—but they took guard all night. Burmese were killing white people with knives. The AVG downed 73 Japs that day.

They passed one place where 60 natives sat with their legs blown off at the knees. As the English passed, the natives held out their hands and cried “Sahib, Sahib.” But there was nothing the English could do.

Many Jap parachutists were hacked to pieces by Burmese. The next day Graham was joined by 100 whites. All the convicts had been released from the jails (insane also released), and they were looting and killing people, white and Burmese. The convicts had stolen 15,000 rupees from Graham’s house. Graham got a car that had been abandoned, drove it to Rangoon and sold it for 2000 rupees.

The Japs returned on Dec. 25th. The AVG’s only had 23 men using ______ but they downed 43 that day. No pilots lived, as all were shot. The Burmese hacked the parachutists to pieces again.

But after that day something happened—the Burmese went over to the Japs. There were about ten battalions of Burmese who shot their English officers and went over to the Japs, about 10,000 men. But the Japs never returned by air. If it had not been for the 23 AVG’s all the English army would have been captured. One odd thing was that there were 30,000 Chinese in Chinatown in Mandalay, but were never bombed. The Chinese killed 18,00 Burmese in the pagodas, because the Chinese believed the Burmese had double-crossed them. The Burmese have asked Gen. Kai Check for mercy as the Chinese will kill every Burmese they can. The Chinese were shooting everyone, indiscriminately. The convicts ransacked the stores then stood along the road sell the merchandise. He could buy Scotch for one rupee (33¢) a quart. He found a Ford abandoned which he took to another camp and sold to a Chinese officer for 3,000 rupees, then divided the money among the Europeans. He converted 1,000 rupees into silver. They walked through the Naga Hills where the head hunters were waiting for them with bows and arrows. Graham talked to the Chief of the tribe, gave him silver then drew a crooked line—and a straight line—said Assam. So the Naga guided them to Assam. He said in one temple was a God, Brahma, and a well thirty feed deep. People would pray to Brahma for the life of sick and when prayers were granted they would throw their jewelry in the well. When he left the well was nearly full. The Burmese threw real jewels in the well—diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc. The dome of the temple had gold an inch and a half thick on it studded with diamonds as large as guinea eggs. There were also hundreds of Buddas with iron safes, 4 x4 x 3 feet in front of each—all nearly full of gold, silver and jewels. The Japs got all of these. He saw seventeen trucks each loaded with 70,000 bricks of silver that the Japs had captured. He said the Burmese women were beautiful be he expected the Japs had ruined all of them and had killed most of them. On every Burmese home, before evacuation, was a sign “Welcome AVG’s” He claimed the AVG’s were careless of their own lives, and that any one of them would ‘take n’ten Jap planes. They never made an ass of themselves, one of them was a good friend of his, and one day he went to visit him. He found him shaving, with nothing on except a towel around his waste. There was the sound of an alert, and the AVG left on the run, saying “I’ll be back in twenty minutes”.

The planes were parked in the shade of trees—they used the highways as landing strips. He downed three Jap planes, wearing nothing but the towel. When he returned, he said to Graham, “Now my soap is dry.”

Thursday, 15 Feb.

I talked to a Tech Rep who has just returned from China who told me that when he arrived in Chungking he had been told by the Chinese that they had no tool nor materials to repair the planes with, so he wired back to India, requesting tools and materials to be sent. A Chinese General told him to make a survey and he found warehouses full of rivets, supplies and tools—upon reporting this fact, he was told that they had to keep a stock on hand. He found another place where the Chinese had buried supplies in the ground, scattering the caches about so no one could find all of them except the man who had them buried. This man went from one Chinese officer to another but could no action at all. He had been sent to China to advise the Chinese on the repair of airplanes—but they would not take his advice—but continued to do repair work as they wanted to—shoddy and incorrect—destroying more than they repaired by their clumsy methods. He said the Chinese had about 700 planes that could fly—and there was no estimate of how many they had wrecked. The Chinese openly say that they do not intend to pay U.S. back in money, but in materials. They buy ammunition from the Japs and smuggling between the two forces in continuous. He stated that no Chinese is doing anything and all they talk about is what they are going to do after the war to make money-and yet they are always asking why U. S. doesn’t cooperate with them by sending more supplies and equipment.

The Chinese have a draft but anyone can get out of it by claiming they are going to school. Kai Check’s forces are not doing anything either. He believed the only way we’ll ever do anything is to do it ourselves with our own forces. He said the Chinese look up to the Russians but the Russians hate the Chinese, according to a Russian Colonel over there assigned to advise them on aircraft maintenance.

Gen. Kai Check has given an order that all Chinese officers must know another language in addition to Chinese, and many of them are studying English. He claimed the Chinese repair planes in such a manner he would be afraid to go up in one. He told of the AVG’s who claimed to be the last ones out of Rangoon. The AVG’s loaded trucks with everything salable that the truck would hold and ran into China with the Japs on their tails. English had also procured trucks but the Chinese would not allow them to come into China until they had agreed to turn over all trucks to Chinese when they left. The AVG’s didn’t stop when the Chinese came out be went right by. He told of one AVG who shot down a Zero and one of the AVG ground crew went out to get the gun off the plane. Two Englishmen pulled a pistol on him and took the gun from him. He told the pilot who had shot the plane down. In the meantime the gun had been passed up to an English General. The AVG traced it to the General—walked in the General’s office and said, “This is my gun.” “oh, no—that belongs to us”, the General replied.

“When I stick my neck out to shoot down a Zero, the gun belongs to me,” the AVG pilot told him, picked up the gun and carried it away with him.

He also related of a Chines who robbed a bank, shot the manager’s wife, then ran away without getting any money. The Chinese arrested 14 Chinese, beat them every day until they confessed—then shot them in a square and let them lay for three days as a warning to other Chinese.

He was riding in a car when the Chinese driver ran over a man—but went on without stopping. Warner returned and took the man to a hospital. He had a broken leg. A Chinese policeman wanted to arrest him be he refused to go with the policeman, He couldn’t get a doctor to attend the coolie. The policeman kept tugging at his arm—and he kept pushing him away—and trying to get a doctor. Finally he told the policeman to go to hell. The policeman went away and returned with another policeman. Finally an Englishman interpreted for him—and he went to the police station. The driver had run away, then returned. The Tech Advisor said, “God pity anyone the Chinese catch and put in jail. They will beat a confession out of him—then shoot him. Life is cheap there. I’m afraid we’re going to have trouble when the law goes through that Nationals of other countries can be tried in Chinese courts.

He told of one Chinese crew-chief who threw a cigarette butt in a pool of gasoline on the ramp and burned a plane up. The entire crew was give two years in jail, and the crew chief taken out every day and whipped, and at the end of the two years will be shot.

He said the Zero will out-maneuver our planes, but by the ingenuity of the A ricans, and especially methods developed by the AVG’s, the Americans shoot the Zeros down continuously.

One Chinese Colonel told him, “We’re going to have 10,000 first line fighting planes and we’re going to buy them from United States.”

W__________ said, “I don’t know what they are going to buy them with.”

“The planes China now has are sitting in the open resting to pieces,” he continued. The Chinese have no conception of the maintenance of planes.

He related of one place where an American Major wanted a partition in a room—but when it was up half way decided he would need the entire room, and told the Chinese contractor to tear it out. The Chinese contractor replied “no can do.” He built the partition, completed the work then tore it out. He would have ‘lost face’ had he stopped half way.

W__________ continued, “They will never admit a mistake.” He related of a test block being built and if it was not completed in the specified time, the contractor was jailed. The job was paid for before it started, then the contractor would claim he had to have more money as materials had gone up. An officer leaned against one of the test blocks—and it fell over.

The next ay I was talking to a Sgt. who was a pharmacist. He told of the Chinese soldiers never having received medical attention until the Americans gave it to them. Hundreds had mud-sores caused by their being filthy dirty. The U. S. Hospital issued hundreds of pounds of mercuric ointment—in ten pound containers—and the next day the Chinese came back for more. They were not using it, but sending it to China, and the same applied to medicines.

“Was that fact reported?” I asked.

“Yes, but Gen __________(Mc) said, ‘let them have it—we must save face.’”

17 Feb.

Talked to a Major who has been working with Chinese troops. He feels that our efforts in aiding the Chinese are futile—they take all they can get—but give nothing in return. He said a contingent of Chinese he had been with were fully equipped by U. S.—uniforms, guns, blankets, trucks. He said they were always asking for more-and when they were told they didn’t need it—would reply they needed it for reserve. He also stated that Chinese of different regiments would not cooperate—each regiment must be assigned a different type of work to perform. He claimed the Chinese C.O. pays the Chinese troops, with our money, but pays the soldiers any amount he chooses—from 5 rupees a month up, and keeps the remainder for himself. He said the Chinese could shoot artillery if the target was visible and the gun pointed at it—but were no good at indirect firing.

He had talked to a civilian, who has since been commissioned, who was in Burma as a Tech Advisor before evacuation. This man stated that the English left before it ever ‘got hot’—after refusing the aid of Chinese troops offered them. Then the Chinese officers left with the English—leaving the Chinese troops to fight it out alone. The last to leave were the Americans. He claimed the British left all their installations in Rangoon intact and destroyed nothing. The Chinese soldiers officers, getting out the best way they could. The Japs walked in unopposed.

“I don’t see where we’ll ever get any return for our money,” the major said.

This civilian also claimed the Burma Road wan’t what it was claimed to be. The Chinese Trucking Corp was made to carry 50% army goods which they hid in the hills then sold their loads to War Lords for exorbitant prices. The civilian claimed the hills along the Burma Road was full of army goods that had been hidden there.

The Major said it was impossible for an American to borrow any of the equipment we’ve given the Chinese—as they’ll pass the buck until the American gives up in disgust. The Chinese officers stay in their quarters all the time and seldom come around their troops. If one Chinese truck stuck, the other Chinese drivers would not stop to help him. A Chinese would never do anything except the job assigned him. A driver will not do anything except to drive.

I hopped a ride with a doctor today (Feb. 19) who told me he couldn’t get medicines or equipment but that a medical administrative officer who had been in China had told him the Chinese had warehouses full of medical supplies-not boxes—but crates of it—enough chloroform to anesthetize all India. This officer had seen three microscopes and none were available for U. S. Forces in this area. He told of being near some Chinese torts and a doctor drew 150 amatol (7) tablets for malaria—and two days later was back for more. So this doctor told him to send the men to him; he’ doctor them himself. The doctor said, “I’ll bet there will be a Chinese revolution after this war—fought with American equipment.

Another time (Feb. 21) I was talking to some F.A. officers who had worked with Chinese troops, who said the Chinese were okeh on firing line but takes them about three hours to figure a problem. They (U.S. officers) think the U.. S. is getting the worst of the deal giving the Chinese all our equipment. They said the Chinese F.A. was better equipped than our F.A. in the states had been, including guns.

One day (Feb. 23) I talked to a Sgt. who had been in China for years, and who claimed the Chinese have entire warehouses full of tires, drums of gasoline, new Packards, Lincolns, etc. At the field he was in they had jeeps and a carry-all. When they used the carry-all they had to jack the jeeps up to get tires to put on the carry-all. He said, “All the Chinese are interested in was making money—they did not care whether it was under Japanese or Chinese rule—and the Chinese are sending their wives and families to cities held by Japan claiming to be “free Chinese”. He told of one Chinese who had so many drums of gasoline his back yard looked like Standard Oil. He was holding them for a higher price. He had started with a value of 200 Chinese dollars—now they were valued at 35,000 Chinese dollars (at 20 to 1 would be $1,750).

He said anytime a Chinese girl was seen with an American, an article would appear in a newspaper stating that she had been seen with an American and that she was not a good Chinese woman. Then she’d lose her job—or she had to put an article in the paper in both Chinese and English that she was sorry she had been with an American and that she would not do it again. “That’s the way the Chinese cooperate.” he said.

On March 1 and officer told me he had talked to a doctor who had been in Rangoon. The doctor claimed the English pulled out of Rangoon three days before schedule, the reason being they saw a convoy approaching, thought it was Japanese. The convoy was American ships bringing equipment. The Japs got everything—a six wheeler truck full of stabbing and 1,500 brand new American trucks, and no estimating the other equipment.

One officer stated, “This was is an opportunity for both the Japanese and Chinese to make money and that is what they want.”

The doctor stated the Chinese claim the English let them down—that the Chinese fought like tigers—and the English retreated, leaving the Chinese flanks unprotected—so they had to withdraw.

One incident told me by an officer who had instructed in a Chinese Training School was of his instructing a class in lubrication. The instructor placed a block of wood on a slanting wooden board—but the block didn’t move he poured oil on the board, and the clock slid down the board rapidly.

“Just like the English”, one of the Chinese students stated—to the hilarity of the class.

Diary of Major Geo Hoas

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