b. The maintenance of essential .communications.
 
    c. Closing and tightening the ring around Germany,
 
        d. Wearing down and undermining German resistance by air
bombardment, blockade, subversive activities and propaganda.
 
e. The continuous development of offensive action against Germany.
 
        f. Maintaining only such positions in the Eastern theatre as
will safeguard vital interests (see paragraph 18) and denying to Japan
access to raw materials vital to her continuous war effort while we are
concentrating on the defeat of Germany.
 
    III. STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN 1942 TO PUT INTO EFFECT THE
ABOVE GENERAL POLICY.
 
TKE SECURITY OF AREAS OF WAR PRODUCTION
 
        5. In so far as these are likely to be attacked, the main areas
of war industry are situated in:-
 
a. The United Kingdom.
 
b. Continental United States, particularly the West Coast.
 
c. Russia.
 
        6. THE UNITED KINGDOM. - To safeguard the United Kingdom it
will be
    necessary to maintain at all times the minimum forces required to
defeat invasion.
 
        7. THE UNITED STATES. - The main centers of production on or
near the West Coast of United States must be protected from Japanese
seaborne attack. This will be facilitated by holding Hawaii and Alaska.
We consider that a Japanese invasion of the United States on a large
scale is highly improbable, whether Hawaii or Alaska is held or not. 
 
        8.    The probable scale of attack and the general nature of
the forces
    required for the defense of the United States are matters for the
United States Chiefs of Staff to assess.
 
        9.    RUSSIA. - It will be essential to afford the Russians
assistance to enable them to maintain their hold on Leningrad, Moscow,
and the oilfields of the Caucasus, and to continue their war effort.
 
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