Scope and Contents

Telegram from Field-Marshal Sir John Dill [Head of British Joint Staff Mission to Washington, United States] to WSC, informing him that the Combined Chiefs of Staff have considered the telegram of 23 January from John Curtin [Prime Minister of Australia] to WSC and are to draft a telegram to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] regarding the importance of air power in Australia.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to WSC regarding the position of Admiral Thomas Hart [United States Admiral in the Pacific] and the problem of substituting him with a younger, more energetic man without offending either the United States or Netherlands or throwing a stigma onto Hart, and whether Vice-Admiral Conrad Helfrich [Commander-in-Chief, Netherlands Naval Forces in the East] or another American should replace him.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] informing him of the danger of the withdrawal of the fighter squadrons of the American Volunteer Group from Rangoon [Burma, later Myanmar] by Generalissimo Chiang Kai- shek [Chinese nationalist leader] prior to the arrival of Hurricanes.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Government of New Zealand to WSC requesting fighter aircraft to meet the likely Japanese attack from 1 division, 2 aircraft carriers and other naval units and to protect the main ports of Auckland and Wellington; provision is being made for a network of RDF [radar] air warning stations, the development of an air observer corps, and of new aerodromes with runways suitable for heavy United States bombers.

Scope and Contents Telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] to WSC: looks forward to receiving message from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] regarding "our man" [Admiral Thomas Hart, United States Admiral in the Pacific], and suggests the "Dutch man" [Vice-Admiral Conrad Helfrich, Commander-in- Chief, Netherlands Naval Forces in the East] as a replacement to command ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] naval forces; suggests...

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] regarding personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] command: informs him that he had sent his [Wavell's] earlier telegram to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]; quotes from President Roosevelt's reply to WSC [see CHAR 20/69B/79-80]; surmises that the American idea is to pull General Douglas MacArthur [Commander in Chief, American Forces in the...

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: is enclosing message from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] of 29 [January]; comments on likely ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] command structure; comments on Roosevelt's telegram [see CHAR 20/69B/79-80]; thanks Roosevelt for his kindness, "I cannot tell you how sorry I was to leave the White House". Annotated: "not to be repeated to Lord Halifax" [British...

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to Field-Marshal Sir John Dill [Head of British Joint Staff Mission to Washington, United States] explaining that he is awaiting the reaction of Australia and New Zealand before reaching a conclusion in the British Cabinet regarding the direction of the war in the Far East.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin]: quotes a telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] regarding the political and military representation of Australia, New Zealand and Dutch East Indies [later Indonesia] [see CHAR 20/69B/79-80], and asks for comments.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] asking him to explain his decision to order Hurricanes from Singapore to Palembang [Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia].

Scope and Contents Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to WSC regarding personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] command: believes that Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse should remain in his present position [Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Bomber Command]; that Lieutenant-General George Brett's position as Wavell's deputy and Intendant General is not fully understood by the United States; is prepared to accept Vice- Admiral Conrad...

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] regarding personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] command and organisation of Pacific Council: suggests future ABDA command structure, and advocates temporarily leaving Admiral Thomas Hart [United States Admiral in the Pacific] where he is or substituting him with a younger American Admiral; believes it necessary to have a Far East Council in London, which would make recommendations...

Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to WSC explaining his decision to withdraw fighter planes from Singapore to Sumatra [Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia]: argues that withdrawal of troops into Singapore had exposed 3 out of 4 aerodromes to artillery fire, and that to leave fighters on exposed aerodromes would be to invite their destruction; considers that there is "every intention and hope of holding" Singapore.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser]: quotes telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] regarding political and military representation of Australia, New Zealand and the Dutch East Indies [later Indonesia] [see CHAR 20/69B/79-80], and asks for comments.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] regarding the fighter defence of Singapore: feels it is a disadvantage that the fighter force should have to waste time flying between Sumatra [Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia] and Singapore; hopes to send 90 more Hurricanes before the end of February.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] regarding New Zealand's requests for war material: states that there is a large flow of reinforcements of all kinds into the ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] area; feels that "we are already heading dangerously near the point where the spreading of our resources must lead to a general weakness".

Scope and Contents Telegram from Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] to WSC regarding fighter allocation for New Zealand: believes allocation of 18 fighters cannot be regarded as adequate; feels that there is an unsatisfactory disparity between numbers allocated to Australia and those to New Zealand; requires at least 4 fighter squadrons in addition to 36 fighter aircraft already requested; hopes that the whole question of the defence of New Zealand is receiving consideration, "the capacity of this...

Scope and Contents Telegram from Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] regarding representation on the Far Eastern Council: believes a Far Eastern Council without the participation of the United States or China is inadequate, but will accept a Council in London; expresses concern that whole thought appears to be directed to ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] area, which does not include New Zealand, and suggests that the ABDA area should be re-named the Mid-Western Pacific to avoid...

Scope and Contents Telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] to WSC regarding personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] Command: states that Admiral Thomas Hart [United States Admiral in the Pacific] has asked to be relieved and suggests that "the Dutchman" [Vice-Admiral Conrad Helfrich, Commander-in-Chief, Netherlands Naval Forces in the East] replace him as Acting Commander in Chief of all naval forces; notes message about sinkings in Atlantic which...

Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC thanking him for his promise of equipment and informing him of the decision to provide General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] with another Australian Imperial Force battalion for the defence of Koepang [Kupang, Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia].

Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC regarding Australian representation in the British Cabinet and the creation of a Pacific War Council: prefers the Council to be in Washington [United States] but agrees to it being established in London, and cites several experiences to illustrate the need for a body with responsibility for the whole war in the Pacific and not only the ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] area. Received 6 Feb British Time.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to WSC regarding personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] Command: states he would far rather have naval commander from the United States and keep Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse as air commander [Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Bomber Command].

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] calling the first meeting of the Pacific Council in London on Tuesday: states that the Council will deal with the whole problem of the war against Japan; informs that the United States is being asked to organise the ANZAC [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] area on the same lines as the ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] machine of General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific], and...

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] regarding changes in ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] Command: quotes telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt, see CHAR 20/69B/136-137]; states that "It is certain that the Americans will require to fill one of the places, sea or air, and that this point will arise whenever The Unknown [? General Douglas MacArthur] is free to become your Deputy".

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: agrees with suggestions regarding personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] Command [see CHAR 20/69B/136-137]; comments on the agreement of Australia and New Zealand to a Pacific Council in London; comments on the role of Chinese forces in Burma [later Myanmar]; comments on relations between United States and Vichy France, and the importance of maintaining American observers in...