U. S SERIAL ABC-4/CS-1
BRITISH SERIAL W.W.-1 (FINAL)
 
TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY
 
     It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the
secrecy of this document.
 
WASHINGTON WAR CONFERENCE AMERICAN-BRITISH STRATEGY
 
MEMORANDUM BY THE UNITED STATES AND BRITISH CHIEFS OF STAFF
 
NOTE:        The circulation of this paper should be restricted
             to the United States and British Chiefs of Staff and
             their immediate subordinates
 
I. GRAND STRATEGY
 
         1.    At thp. 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 safe-guarding 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 grandstrategy are as follows. Each will be examined in greater detail later in this paper.
 
            a. The realization of the victory programme of armaments, 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
 
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