6.  The general strategic policy will therefore be:-
 
        a.    To hold the Malay Barrier, defined as the line Malay
Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, North Australia, as the basic defensive
position of the ABDA Area, and to operate sea, land, and air forces in
as great depth as possible forward of the Barrier in order to oppose
the Japanese southward advance.
 
        b.    To hold Burma and Australia as essential supporting
positions for the Area, and Burma as essential to the support of China,
and to the defense of India.
 
        c.    To re-establish communications through the Dutch East
Indies with Luzon and to support the Philippines' Garrison.
 
To maintain essential communications within the
 
 
Duties, Responsibilities, and Authority of the Supreme
 
Commander. -
 
                You will coordinate in the ABDA Area the strategic
operations of all armed forces of the ABDA Governments; assign them
strategic missions and objectives; where desirable, arrange for the
formation of task forces, Whether national or international, for the
execution of specific operations; and appoint any officer, irrespective
of seniority or nationality, to command such task forces.
 
        8. While you will have no responsibilities in respect of the
international administration of the respective forces under your
command, you are authorized to direct and coordinate the creation and
development of administrative facilities and the broad allocation of
war materials.
 
        9.    You will dispose reinforcements which from time to time
may be dispatched to the Area by the ABDA Governments.
 
      10.    You are authorized to require from the Commanders of the
armed forces under your command such reports as you deem necessary in
the discharge of your responsibilities as Supreme Commander.
 
      11.    You are authorized to control the issue of all communiques
concerning the forces under your command.
 
      12.    Through the channels specified in Paragraph 18, you may
submit recommendations to the ABDA Governments on any matters
pertaining to the furtherance of your mission.
 
13.    Limitations. -
 
                Your authority and control with respect to the various
portions of the ABDA Area and to the forces assigned thereto will
normally be exercised through the commanders duly appointed by their
respective governments. Interference is to be avoided in the
administrative processes of the armed forces of any of the ABDA
Governments, including free communication between them and their
respective governments. An Iteration or revision is to be made in the
basic tactical organization of such forces, and each national component
of a task force will normally operate under its own commander and will
not be subdivided into small units for attachment to the other national
components of the task force, except in the case of urgent necessity.
 
REGRADED UNCLASSIFIED