Defense Files
Report by the Planning Committee of the United States and British Chiefs of Staff1
United States: ABC–4/4 (Final)
British: WW(JPC)4
Proposed Tasks for the Joint Planning Committee
1. A study of the relative importance and interrelation of the various military projects and movements which affect the Atlantic theatre and which may be required to give effect to the agreed Grand Strategy during the first part of 1942.
This report will include consideration of the following:
- a.
- Movements
- (1)
- Relief of Iceland.
- (2)
- Movement of three Divisions and one Armored Division from the United States to Northern Ireland.
- (3)
- Movement of United States air forces to the United Kingdom.
- (4)
- Relief of British in Aruba and Curaçao.
- b.
- Projects
- (1)
- Joint United States-British occupation of French North Africa.
- (2)
- United States occupation of:
- (a)
- French West Africa and Cape Verde Islands.
- (b)
- Northeast Brazil.
- (3)
- British occupation of:
- (a)
- The Azores.
- (b)
- The Canaries and Madeira.
- (c)
- Diego Suarez.
2. Coordination of the Victory Programs of the United States and the British Commonwealth and adjustment of their broad outlines in accordance with strategic considerations and production possibilities.
[Page 248]3. A consideration of any steps that should be taken in the light of experience up to date to implement, improve, or extend the system of collaboration between the United States-British Staffs as laid down in ABC–1;2 the need for allocating joint resources on a strategic basis to be taken into account.
Note: Consideration of the Southwest Pacific Theatre, including the matter of unity of command therein, was treated as a first priority and a decision reached prior to the acceptance of the foregoing document.