U. S.
BRITISH
 
U.S. Serial ABC-4/CS-1
British Serial W.W.-1 (Final)
 
                   Washington War Conference.
                   American-British Strategy.
      Memorandum by the U.S. and British Chiefs of Staff.
 
     1.   At the A-B* Staff conversations in February, 1941, it was agreed that Germany
was the predominant member of the Axis Powers, and consequently the Atlantic and European
area was considered to be the decisive theatre.
                                                                     
     2.   Much has happened since February last, but notwithstanding
the entry of Japan into the War, our view remains that Germany is still the prime enemy and her
defeat is the key to victory.  Once Germany is defeated, the collapse of Italy and the defeat of
Japan must follow.
 
     3.   In our considered opinion, therefore, it should be a cardinal principle of A-B
strategy that only the minimum of force necessary for the safeguarding of vital interests in other
theatres should be diverted from operations against Germany.
 
             II. ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF OUR STRATEGY
 
4.   The essential features of the above grand strategy are as follows.  Each will be examined
in greater detail later in this paper.
 
     a.   The realization of the victory programme of arrnaraents, which first and foremost        
requires the security of the main areas of war industry.
 
 
 
 
 
Note:-
*For brevity the abbreviated A-B
is used to denote American-British.