It was suggested that a definite statement of
priorities should be presented to the Chiefs of Staff at the next
meeting. In the meantime, the Joint Planning Committee was to
concentrate on the directlye concerning the disposal of reinforcements
en route to the Far East.
 
        5.       UNITY OF COMMAND,-
 
               ADMIRAL STARK asked Admiral Pound if he cared to discuss
the matter of unity of command for the Far East as proposed by General
Marshall.
 
                ADMIRAL POUND stated that he would like to get it clear
in his mind what the United States means by unity of command,
particularly how Naval matters would be dealt with.
 
                GENERAL MARSHALL said that it would be impossible to
choose anyone for supreme command who would have full technical
knowledge of all services. He felt, however, that the matter of
appointing a supreme commander would be bound up in the assumption that
a man of good judgment would be selected; otherwise the whole proJect
would be a failure. He felt that a man with good judgment and unity of
command has a distinct advantage over a man with brilliant judgment who
must rely on cooperation.
 
                The whole matter, he said, rests on the consideration
as to whether a directlye could be drawn which would leave the Supreme
Commander with enough power to improve the situation and still not give
him power to destroy national interests or to exploit one theater
without due consideration to another.
 
                He then read a suggested form of letter, (See Annex 1,)
copies of which were distributed, of instructions to the Supreme
Commander, which he stated was purely a form and a basis for further
discussion concerning the Far Eastern area. Similar directives might be
possible for other areas.
 
                In urging the adoption of unity of command in the Far
East, GENERAL MARSHALL said that the Associated Powers are opposed in
that area by an enemy who has unity of command in its highest sense;
that in light of the present
conditions out there, any action whatsoever along this line would be an
im-
provement. The situation in this respect could not be made worse than
it exists at, present.
 
                ADMIRAL POUND asked, on the assumption that four
countries were involved, and a Supreme Commander were chosen for
instance, from Power X, who would be on his Staff?
 
                  GENERAL MARSHALL replied that, personally, he
envisaged a small
-
staff, one representative from each Government possibly, who would act
as a sort of liaison officer with local forces. The commander would
possess two mobile elements -- one, sea-going vessels and the other,
bombardment aviation.
 
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