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(Untitled), 17 Mar 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/71B/183-193

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: states that he has not yet heard from Australia and New Zealand but that in principle there are great merits resulting from the United States controlling the Pacific sphere and Britain controlling the Indian sphere; comments on the need for the American and British navies to work to a common strategy; describes British naval force in the Central Indian Ocean; comments on the need to co-ordinate all naval commands in the Pacific and Indian spheres under the Combined Chiefs of Staff Committee in order to face the Japanese; comments on the command structures and advisory bodies needed to direct the war in the Pacific and Indian spheres; comments on the decision of New Zealand to accept an American division whilst retaining a New Zealand division in the Middle East; comments on the paramount importance of regaining the initiative against Japan, and hopes all large-scale projects will be discussed by the Combined Chiefs of Staff Committee; comments on the allocation of American aircraft to the China-India-Burma [later Myanmar] and Middle East areas; states that the line between the spheres must be elastic, and recites text of a message from the 1st Sea Lord [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound] regarding the line of the boundary; concludes that the proposals will achieve integrity of executive and operational action, and provide for reasonable consultation.

Dates

  • Creation: 17 Mar 1942

Conditions Governing Access

From the File:

Open

Language of Materials

English