Chiefs of Staff Conference-December 30, 1941

Army
 
General G. C Marshall, Commanding General of the .Field .Forces
and Chief of Staff
Lieut. General H. H. Arnold, Chief of Army Air Forces and Deputy
Chief of Staff
    Brigadier General Raymond Lee, Acting Assistant Chief of Staff, 6-2
Brigadier General L. T. 6erow, Assistant Chief of Staff, WPD
Brigadier General D. D. Eisenhower, G.S.C.
 
'Joint 'Secretaries
 
Colonel E. ii. C. Jacob
Commander R. D. Coleridge, R.N.
Captain J. L. McCrea, Aide to the Chief of Naval Operations Lt~ Col.
P.M. Robinett, G-2, GHQ, U.S.A.
Major W. T. Sexton, Assistant Secretary,.W.D.GfS.
 
1.      HIGHER DIRECTION QF WAR IN TKE ABDA AREA. -
 
               THE COMMITTEEgave further consideration to their
Memorandum on the 'Higher Direction of War in the ABDA Area, which 'had
been telegraphed to Ottawa, and'had received the approval of the Prime
Minister, together with a redraft of this paper, which had been
forwarded by Mr. 'Hopkins for their attention~ (Annex 1, Memorandum of
Mr. 'Hopkins, December 30, 1941.)
 
In the course of discussion, the following points were made' -
 
          'a. 'It did not appear desirable to set up a special body to
deal with ABDA problems, as only the United States Chiefs of Staff and
the
        British Chiefs of Staff, through their representati'ves in
Washington, could weigh the needs of the ABDA Area in relation to those
of other
theatres.
 
b. As the Dutch GOvernment was in London, and as the machinery for
consultation with'the Dominions Governments already existed there, it
seemed proper that consultation with these G~vernmerrts should take
place in London, and that the British Gdvernment should be responsible
for obtaining the 'v. iews and agreements of these GGvernments, and for
submitting them to the United States Chiefs of Staff and the
representatives in,Washington of the British Chiefs of Staff. While the
representatives of the Dutch and Dominions 'GOvernments in Washington
       could, if thought desirable, be kept informed of developments,
official consultation ,could only take place in London.
 
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