Kashmir Dispute: U.S. Charg  in India  to U.S. Secretary of State, January 2, 1948

745.45F/1-24S Telegram

The [US] Charg  in India (Donovan) to the [US] Secretary of State

SECRET - NEW DELHI, January 2,1948-10 a.m.

        1. Embtel 1162, December 30 [29]. General Bucher[,] Commander-in-Chief [of] Indian Army told me last night no steps had been taken to prepare Indian Army for offensive action against GOP. He said one month [would be] necessary for such steps and he had informed Nehru that he (Bucher) would not hesitate [to] inform HMG that all British officers should be transferred from active operational duties to advisory capacities if war seemed imminent.

        I inquired re possibility [of] GOI troops in Kashmir entering Pakistan inadvertently. Bucher said this was highly improbable, since troops must stay on highways and [the] boundary was clearly defined.

        Bucher thinks [a] most dangerous factor is tribesmen in West Punjab who might attempt a raid into East Punjab; he considers Sikhs in East Punjab as [a] possible disturbing factor.

        He said Cunningham[,] Governor [of] NWFP[,] had told him NWFP Government could not restrain tribesmen from entering and crossing NWFP. I feel more optimistic re [the] general situation in light [of] this conversation.

        Sent Department, repeated Karachi as 1. Department please repeat London as Delhi's 1.

        DONOVAN

From: US Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948. Volume V, part 1. Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1975, 267-268.