U. S. ABC-4/6
BRITISH WW-14
                                               January 13, 1942
 
                JOINT PLANNING COMMITTEE REqPORT
                                
             MOVEMENTS AND PROJECTS IN THE ATLANTIC
                                
                THEATER - FOR FIRST HALF OF 1942
 
        1. We have carried out a study of the relative importance and interrelation ofthe various
military movements and projects which affect the Atlantic Theater and which may be required to    
offensive effect to the agreed Grand Strategy during the first part of 1942, and submit our
conclusions below.
 
MOVEMENTS AND RELIEFS.
 
                      ICELAND AND IRELAND
 
         2.    We consider that tile inove of' the United States forces into Northern Ireland and the
relief of tile British Iceland garrison should proceed as expeditiously as possible in order to relieve
British Divisions for the replacement of Australian Divisions in the Middle East and to release
forces for operations in French North Africa.
 
        3.    The movement of United States Army Air Forces to the United Kingdom should
proceed as soon as these forces andshipping become available, so as to increase the weight of
attack on Germany.
 
                  RELIEF OF ARUBA AND CURACAO
 
        4.    The relief of Aruba and Curacao, subject to Dutch concurrence, is
to be completed beforethe end of January.
 
JOINT UNITED STATES - BRITISH OCCUPATION OF FRENCH NORTH AFRICA.
 
         5.    We regard this project as of the first strategical importance in the Atlantic area. We do
not, however, possess the resources witllin the period under consideration to force an entry into
French North Africa. We cannot~ therefore,initiate this operation unless we are reasonably sure of
the assumptions upon which the plan is based, which are:
 
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