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been discussed in the conversations between
Admiral Ghormley and the Admiralty. Sections 1 and 2 of the report of these conversations will require adjustment to cover the eventuality of Japanese hostility.
Naval dispositions.
6.
The Americans should be invited to take our Naval Far Eastern War Memorandum as a basis for strategical discussions; the American fleet taking the place of the British fleet in this plan. The principal question is how far the Americans are able to make up our own naval deficit in the plan, and where they would operate from i.e. Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Guam or Honolulu.
7.
As the defence problem must now include the Philippines and the Netherlands East Indies as well as our own interests, the plan will require certain modifications. We consider that Manila would be the most suitable advanced main fleet base, provided the local defences are adequate. All the British and Dutch bases can of course be considered available although Hong Kong might not be usable,
8.
The main offensive against Japan will be
economic. With American intervention, patrols to cut Japanese trade with North America will be unnecessary.
9*
The primary role of Dutch naval forces should be to provide local defence in the Netherlands East Indies and to hold the gateways into the Indian Ocean in collaboration with other Allied Forces,
Naval Command.
10.
As regards naval command, our views, which are subject to the agreement of the Australian and New Zealand Governments, are that unified strategical naval command in the Pacific and the Far East, including the waters around the Netherlands East Indies, Malaya and Australasia, is desirable. If the Australian and New Zealand Governments concur, it is proposed that our own (including Dominions) and the Dutch naval forces operating in the Far East and in the Pacific should be placed under American command, with the exception of the purely local defence forces which would remain under local British and Dutch commands. Any Dutch naval forces operating in the purely local defence of Singapore should be under British command.
The Indian Ocean would remain a British command, under the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, and we suggest the Americans and the Dutch should place any naval forces operating to the westward of the Dutch Islands under our operational command.
Army and Air Command.
11.
We suggest that any army and air units operating from Allied territory other than their own should come under the operational control of the army and air commander from whose area they are operating.
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