THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON SECRET December 17, 1941 IN THE PACIFIC AREA How many planes does it take adequately to reinforce Hawaii and even will those planes be there? How many planes to reinforce Panama and when will they Be there? What is the exact route proposed to reinforce the Philippine Islands by air? With what type of planes? When can the first planes reach the Philippines? How many planes should we attempt to get into the Philippines and what types? Have we reached a decision that we should attempt to land men and supplied in the Philippines by ship and under whatever protection the Far Eastern fleet can afford? Are we going to make an effort to get big bombing planes into China and if so by what route, how many, what type and under whose command? Has General Brett arrived in China and are volunteers to be called back into our Army forming an American unit in China? To what extent, if any, are we going to attempt, other than by naval action, to aid in the defense of the Dutch East Indies or Singapore? z How would any or all of these plans be changed in case the Philippines and Singapore should fall? |