Foreign Relations of the United States, Conferences at Washington and Quebec, 1943

J.C.S. Files

Memorandum by the British Chiefs of Staff¹

most secret
Enclosure to C.C.S. 314/1

[Quebec,] 18 August 1943.

Allocation of Landing Ships and Craft—American Production

It will be remembered that in April 1943, the Combined Chiefs of Staff agreed (C.C.S. 105/4²) that future allocations of additional landing craft from U.S. production to the United Kingdom, as could be made available and as would be needed for specific employment and specifically projected operations, be accomplished by arrangement between the United States and British Naval Staffs, and formally processed through the Munitions Assignments Committee, Navy, subject to the approval of the Munitions Assignments Board in Washington.

2. No specific operations for the War against Germany, after Overlord , have yet been decided upon. For the War against Japan, it is hoped that decisions will shortly be taken on the scope and extent of British participation. In order to prepare the British Assault Fleet and to estimate British manning commitments for 1944/45, the British Chiefs of Staff wish to formulate their programme without waiting for specific operational decisions.

3. We, therefore, recommend that the Combined Chiefs of Staff should agree:

a. To modify the policy previously accepted.

b. That the British should now work out and submit requests for a share of U.S. production in 1944–45.

1. Circulated under cover of the following note by the Secretaries of the Combined Chiefs of Staff (C.C.S. 314/1), August 18, 1943: “In order to save delay, the enclosure prepared by the Chief of Combined Operations [Vice Admiral Mountbatten], in consultation with the British Joint Planning Staff, is presented direct to the Combined Chiefs of Staff for their consideration.”

   For the discussion of this paper at the 112th Meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, August 19, 1943, see ante, p. 892.

2. “Transportation of Landing Craft”, April 9, 1943; not printed.