Office of the Historian

J.C.S. Files

Memorandum by the Combined Chiefs of Staff1

secret
C.C.S. 159/1
[Casablanca,] January 20, 1943.

The Bomber Offensive From North Africa

1.
The objects of the bomber offensive from North Africa will be, in order to [of?] time:
(a)
The furtherance of operations for the eviction of all Axis forces from Africa.
(b)
When (a) has been achieved, infliction of the heaviest possible losses on the Axis Air and Naval forces in preparation for “ Husky ”, including bombing required by cover plans.
(c)
The direct furtherance of operation “ Husky ”.
(d)
The destruction of the oil refineries at Ploesti.
2.
So far as is possible without prejudice to the achievement of objects (a), (b) and (c) above, bombing objectives will be chosen with a view to weakening the Italian will to continue the war.
  1. This paper is identical with C.C.S. 159, not printed, except for the deletion of the words, “The proposals of the British Chiefs of Staff are as follows,” at the head of the paper and the addition of the words, “including bombing required by cover plans,” following “Husky” at the close of paragraph 1(b). The memorandum was approved as amended by the Combined Chiefs of Staff at their meeting on the morning of January 20, 1943, ante, p. 660.↩