Op-12-VED
Serial 078712
                              NAVY DEPARTMENT
     OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS 
                             WASHINGTON      July 9, 1941.
 
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT:
 
               1. In your Message to Congress of July 7th, concerning 
the reenforcement of the British Garrison in Iceland, you made 
the following pronouncement:
 
               "As Commander in Chief I have consequently 
         issued orders to the Navy that all necessary 
         steps be taken to insure the safety of communica-
         tions between Iceland and the United States, as 
         well as on the seas between the United States 
         and all other strategic outposts."
 
          2. As you know, United States naval operating forces 
have prepared plans for an "all-out" war against the Axis Powers, 
in accordance with the agreements with the British made in ABC-1. 
The Atlantic Fleet is now operating in accordance with Western 
Hemisphere Defense Plan No. 2, which involves no shooting, except 
in self-defense or the defense of United State territory, bases 
and flag shipping. In order to carry out the policy which you 
have announced in the words quoted above, we might issue orders 
for any one of three plans intermediate between ABC-1 (Rainbow 
No. 5) and Western Hemisphere Defense Plan No. 2. These inter-
mediate plans may be briefly described as follows:
 
               (a) Western Hemisphere Defense Plan No. 2, 
     with the addition of escorting United States and 
     Iceland ships between the United States and Iceland. 
     This would include attack on German submarines or 
     raiders which might attempt to interfere with the 
     passage of these convoys.
 
               (b) Western Hemisphere Defense Plan No. 2, 
     plus escorting United States and Iceland ships 
     between the United States and Iceland, plus at-
     tacking all Axis raiders and submarines which 
     might be encountered by our naval forces anywhere 
     within the Western Hemisphere.