Foreign Relations of the United States, The Conferences at Washington, 1941–1942, and Casablanca, 1943

Hopkins Papers

The Chief of Naval Operations (Stark) to the President’s Special Assistant (Hopkins)

secret

Washington, January 6, 1942.

Memorandum for Mr. Hopkins

I am returning the papers you sent me last night.¹

Army and Navy accept the changes.

Have drawn up a new paper, making it easy for the President to check:— the changes are underlined and, in paragraph 4, the words which it was suggested be deleted are crossed out.

Betty

²

[Enclosure]

Revised Draft of Annex 2 to ABC–4/5, WW–3 (Final)

secret

January 5, 1942.

Higher Direction of War in the ABDA Area

1. On all important military matters, not within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Commander of the ABDA Area, the U.S. Chiefs of Staff and the representatives in Washington of the British Chiefs of Staff will constitute the agency for developing and submitting recommendations for decision by the President of the United States and by the British Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on behalf of ABDA Governments.³ Among the chief matters on which decisions will be required are:

a. The provision of reinforcements.

b. A major change in policy.

c. Departure from the Supreme Commander’s directive.

2. This agency will function as follows:

a. Any proposal coming either from the Supreme Commander or from any of the ABDA Governments will be transmitted to the Chiefs of Staff Committee both in Washington and in London.

b. The Chiefs of Staff Committee in London having consulted Dutch Staff, will immediately telegraph to their representatives in Washington to say whether or not they will be telegraphing any opinions.

c. On receipt of these opinions, the U.S. Chiefs of Staff and the representatives in Washington of the British Chiefs of Staff will develop and submit their recommendations to the President, and by telegraph to the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. The Prime Minister will then inform the President whether he is in agreement with these recommendations.

3. Since London has the machinery for consulting the Dominion Governments, and since the Dutch Government is in London, the British Government will be responsible for obtaining their views and agreement at every stage, and for including these in the final telegram to Washington.

4. Agreement having been reached between the President and the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the orders to the Supreme Commander will be dispatched from Washington in the name of both of them the ABDA Governments and respective governments will be fully informed.

1. See Hopkins’ letter of January 5, 1942, ante, p. 306.
2. Nickname for Stark.
3. Notation on the source text: “Underlined words show insertions”.