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

Defense Files

Memorandum by the British Chiefs of Staff¹

secret
United States: ABC–4/CS–3
British: WW–9 (Revised)

Washington, January 10, 1942.

Procedure for Assumption of Command by General Wavell

1. General Wavell was informed on 29th December, 1941, by the Prime Minister that he was to be the Supreme Commander in the ABDA Area. He was told that his directive would be given to him shortly and that any observations which he might wish to make on its terms would be considered.

2. When the directive was finally approved by the President and the Prime Minister, orders were sent to London (2nd January) that it should be telegraphed to General Wavell immediately—copies were also to be sent to General Pownall and all other British Commanders concerned.

3. At the same time the terms of the directive were communicated to the Dutch, Australian, and New Zealand Governments.

4. The Dutch Government has suggested certain amendments to Annex (ii) to the directive, and these are still under discussion. It is not known whether they have communicated the directive to the Dutch Commanders in the ABDA Area.

5. The Australian Government has put forward views and opinions about the whole arrangement, and have not yet notified their agreement with the directive. It is presumed that they have not yet informed any of their Commanders.

6. The New Zealand Government is only indirectly concerned. There has been no comment on the directive from them.

7. On 2nd January General Wavell was told that much importance was attached to his taking over as soon as possible, and he was asked to specify the earliest date on which he would be ready to assume command. He is now at Singapore, but is expected to be in Batavia today, 10th January. No observations have yet been received from him about his directive, nor has he yet specified a date for assuming command.

8. Neither the Dutch nor the Australian Government has yet agreed to the directive, though their objections are mainly to the machinery of control laid down in Annex (ii) rather than to the directive itself. The discussions which are proceeding with those Governments may of course be successfully concluded before it becomes necessary to promulgate the date of General Wavell’s appointment; but even if they are not, we do not think there need be any delay on that account. We suggest that General Wavell’s appointment should be promulgated as soon as he reports he is ready, and that he should then be instructed to carry on, pending the final confirmation of his directive.

9. We accordingly propose that the following action should be taken as soon as General Wavell reports the date on which he will be ready to assume command:—

a. His Majesty’s Government should make a communication in the terms of Annex A to the Governments of the United States, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, India, and China.

b. His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom should telegraph to General Wavell in the terms of Annex B.

c. On receipt of the communication mentioned in a above, the Governments of the United States, The Netherlands, and Australia should at once notify their local Commanders of the date of the assumption of command by General Wavell, and should give any necessary consequential instructions so that the system planned for the ABDA Area can become effective.

d. The terms of the directive for General Wavell, including Annex (ii), should be settled as soon as possible, and the outcome notified to all concerned.

10. We propose to telegraph home in the terms of Annex C to secure the assent of the Dutch and Australian Governments to this procedure.

• Dudley Pound
• J. G. Dill
• C. Portal

Annex “A”

Draft communication from His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom to the Governments of the United States, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, China, and India:

Instructions are being sent today to General Wavell that he should assume command of the ABDA Area as from January . . . . .

Pending final agreement between the Governments concerned on the terms of his directive and on the machinery for the higher direction of war in the ABDA Area, (Annex II to the Directive), General Wavell is being instructed to proceed in accordance with the directive as at present drafted and to communicate with Washington and London as laid down in Paragraph 18 thereof.

Please inform all Commanders concerned, accordingly.

Annex “B”

Draft telegram from His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom to General Wavell:

You are to assume supreme command in the ABDA Area on January . . . . .

Pending final agreement between the Governments concerned on your directive, you should act in accordance with the directive sent to you in Telegram No…, and you should address communications to superior authority in accordance with Paragraph 18 thereof.

General Brett and Admiral Hart are being ordered by the United States Government to report to you as Deputy Supreme Commander and Commander of Combined Naval Forces, respectively, in the ABDA Area.

Governments concerned are notifying their Commanders accordingly.

Annex “C”

Draft telegram from British Chiefs of Staff to Chiefs of Staff Committee, London:

Please put following to Lord Privy Seal:

It is of highest importance that General Wavell should exercise supreme command without delay, as soon as he reports himself ready to do so.

Please propose to Dutch and Australian Governments that as soon as General Wavell reports himself as ready he should be authorized to assume command, pending the acceptance by those Governments of the ABDA machinery as set out in Annex II of his directive.

United States Chiefs of Staff agree.

1. The source text was Annex 2 to JCCSs–8. It was approved by the Chiefs of Staff in this amended version on January 10, 1942; see ante, p. 174.