Joint Board Estimate of United States Over-all Prodiuction Requirements-9/11/41

                    JOINT BOARD ESTIMATE OF
               UNITED STATES OVER-ALL PRODUCTION
                          REQUIREMENTS
                                
IV.       MAJOR STRATEGY OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ASSOCIATES.
(Cont'd)
     25.
 
      b.       The security of the United Kingdom is essential to the
prosecution in the Eastern
            Hemis   phere of military   operations a  gainst Germ  any
and Japan.  Its safety is   also            highly imp  ortant to the
defen  se o  f the Western Hemisphere.    The security   of the
United Kingdom depends   on   an effect  ive defense by sea, land, and
air forces.  In turn, this defense depends upon the safety of sea
communications.  The sea communications can continue to support the
United Kingdom only if the damage now being inflicted upon them is
greatly reduced through increases in the strength of the protective sea
and air forces based in the British Islands, Iceland, and positions in
the central and eastern Atlantic.  Unless the losses of British
merchant ships are greatly reduced, or unless there is an internal
collapse of Germany, it is the opinion of the Joint Board that the
resistance of the United Kingdom can not continue indefinitely, no
matter what industrial effort is put forth by the United States.
Therefore, the immediate and strong reenforcement of British forces in
the Atlantic by United States naval and air contingents, supplemented
by a large additional shipping tonnage, will be required if the United
Kingdom is to remain in the war.  These contingents must be manned by
Americans, since the reserves of British manpower for employment in
Europe are practically exhausted.  To maintain present British
strength, the United States must also continue to supplement the
British blockade, and the naval building and repair potential; and to
provide considerable numbers of aircraft.
 
     c.   Safety of the sea communications of the Associated Powers
throughout the world       is essential to the continuance of their war
effort.  Naval and air
 
 
 
 
 
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