Report by United States-British Chiefs of Staff, Directive to The Supreme Commander in the ABDA Area

5.        STRATEGIC CONCEPT AND POLICY.-
 
                 The basic strategic concept of the ABDA Governments
for the conduct of the war in your Area is not only in the immediate
future to maintain as many key positions as possible, but to take the
offensive at the earliest opportunity and ultimately to conduct an
all-out offensive against Japan. The first essential is to gain general
air superiority at the earliestpossible moment, through the employment
of concentrated air power. The piecemeal employment of air forces
should be minimized. Your operations should be so conducted as to
further preparations for the offensive.
 
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 reestablish communications through the Dutch East
Indies with Luzon and to support the Philippines' Garrison.
 
          d.    To maintain essential conmmnications within the Area.
7. 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, whetheb 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 respeQt of the
internal administration of the respective forces under your conroland,
you are authorized to direct and coordinate the creation and
development of administrative facili-
 
ties 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.
 
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