Skip to main content

Asia-Pacific War, 1941-1945

 Subject
Subject Source: Local sources

Found in 670 Collections and/or Records:

 Item

(Untitled), 14 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/87-89
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] with proposals agreed by the United States Naval Staff and the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] for establishing a new Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] naval area, including a definition of the area and allocation of forces.

Dates: 14 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 14 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/90-93
Scope and Contents

Telegrams from WSC to John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia, on the safe arrival in Singapore of a convoy including the United States transport ship Mount Vernon; with proposals agreed by United States Naval Staff and the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] for establishing the new Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] naval area, including a definition of the area and allocation of forces.

Dates: 14 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 14 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/95
Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to the Chiefs of Staff on his visit to Singapore and meeting with Heath [Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Heath, 3rd Indian Corps] and Gordon-Bennett [Lieutenant-General [Henry] Gordon Bennett, General Officer Commanding, Australian Imperial Force in Malaya [later Malaysia]]; enemy advancing rapidly, inflicted heavy losses north of Kuala Lumpur; fears for Singapore.

Dates: 14 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 15 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/99
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] demanding tighter censorship in Singapore; enquires about defences, plans for retreat; comments on United States confidence in Wavell.

Dates: 15 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), [24 Jan 1942]

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/6-8
Scope and Contents Typescript copy of telegram from John Curtin to WSC regarding the situation in Malaya [later Malaysia], on the unsuitability of Indian troops for this type of warfare, the fact that the evacuation of Singapore would be an "inexcusable betrayal" and on public feeling of grave uneasiness at Allied impotence to stem the Japanese advance. [Copy may have been produced for use by WSC in writing of "The Second World War", and is backed with typescript of correspondence from Chapter 31 "Japan", of...
Dates: [24 Jan 1942]
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 23 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/9
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] in Batavia [later Djakarta, Java, now part of Indonesia] questioning his refusal of Chinese help in the defence of Burma [later Myanmar] and the Burma Road and explaining the importance attached to China by the United States: "Burma seems in grave danger of being overrun".

Dates: 23 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 23 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/17
Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell, Supreme Commander, South West Pacific, to WSC commenting on the implications for Australian commanders of a plan to establish a Command consisting of the ABDA area [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] to include all land and air forces east of Celebes [later Sulawesi, Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia].

Dates: 23 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 24 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/19-21
Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC regarding the situation in Malaya [later Malaysia] and New Guinea [later Papua New Guinea and part of Indonesia]: [As CHAR 20/69A/6 but also commenting on the war in the Pacific and requesting more aircraft; ms annotation "Presented as Cabinet Paper"].

Dates: 24 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 23 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/24-26
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] clarifying the proposal for a Far Eastern Defence Council in London and explaining that no decision can be taken either in Washington [United States] or in London which does not take full account of the views of the Australian, New Zealand and the Netherlands Governments.

Dates: 23 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 25 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/27-28
Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC commenting on proposals for a Far Eastern Defence Council and containing comments by Sir Earle Page [Special Australian Envoy to British War Cabinet] in support of a Pacific Council at Washington [United States]. [See CHAR 20/69A/31 for attached note].

Dates: 25 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 26 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/36-37
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Government of New Zealand to WSC regarding their representation in the war against Japan, requiring confirmation that New Zealand would be entitled to make representations to the Far East Council, including affairs in the Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] and Pacific areas; also on the importance of direct contact with the United States and on the necessity for one co-ordinating authority for land, sea and air forces in the war against Japan.

Dates: 26 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 26 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/41
Scope and Contents Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to WSC denying that he had refused Chinese help; explains that he had accepted 49 and 93 Divisions in December and that to uncover Yunnan [China] by moving Chinese troops to Burma [later Myanmar] would be unsound; British troops should have been sufficient and it was better to defend Burma with Imperial troops. Wavell agrees that British prestige in China is low, but notes that it will not be increased by the...
Dates: 26 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 27 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/42-44
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] with details of the replies of the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand, John Curtin and Peter Fraser, to proposals for a Far Eastern Council in London: "I should be glad to know whether in your opinion these observations ... affect the view ... that co-ordination of the views of these two Governments with those of the Governments of Great Britain and the Netherlands should be effected in London".

Dates: 27 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 27 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/49-50
Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC pressing for the allotment of additional aircraft and giving details of operational strength, adding that Australia is left almost defenceless against its enemies.

Dates: 27 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 28 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/52-53
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] regarding arrangements for military co-operation within the Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] area.

Dates: 28 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 29 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/59
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.

Dates: 29 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 29 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/60-61
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.

Dates: 29 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 30 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/66
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.

Dates: 30 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 30 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/70-71
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.

Dates: 30 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 31 Jan 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/79-80
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...
Dates: 31 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 01 Feb 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/86
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...
Dates: 01 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 01 Feb 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/87-88
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...
Dates: 01 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 01 Feb 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/93
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.

Dates: 01 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 02 Feb 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/94-95
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.

Dates: 02 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 02 Feb 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/97
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].

Dates: 02 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open