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TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

441

(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT )

SECRE T.

COPY NO. 33

WAR CABINET.

MEETING OF MINISTERS AND ADVISERS HELD ON THURSDAY, 13TH FEBRUARY, 1941, AT 10.30 P.M. IN THE CABINET

WAR ROOM.

PRESENT:-

The Rt. Hon. Winston S. Churchill, M.P.,

Prime Minister and Minister of Defence

(In the Chair).

The Rt. Hon. A.V. Alexander,

First Lord of the Admiralty.

Vice Admiral T.S.V. Phillips,

Vice Chief of Naval Staff.

Admiral of the Fleet

Sir Dudley Pound,

First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff.

Major General Sir Hastings

L. Ismay,

Office of the Minister of Defence.

SECRETARIAT.

Captain A.D. Nicholl, R.N.

1.

FAR EAST.

The Meeting was held to discuss Washington Telegram No. 6 "Gleam" of 11th February, 1941. Consideration was also given to Washington Telegram No. 615 of the 9th February, 1941.

During the course of the discussion, THE PRIME MINISTER emphasised the strain to which we should be put if Japan loosed her cruisers on to our trade routes in the Indian Ocean and America stood aside.

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