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

J.C.S. Files

Resolutions by the Combined Chiefs of Staff¹

secret
C.C.S. 237/1

[Washington,] 20 May 1943.

European Operations

Reference: C.C.S. 89th Meeting, Item 1

The Combined Chiefs of Staff:

Resolved:

a. That forces and equipment shall be established in the United Kingdom with the object of mounting an operation with target date 1 May 1944 to secure a lodgment on the Continent from which further offensive operations can be carried out. The scope of the operation will be such as to necessitate the following forces being present and available for use in the United Kingdom by 1 May 1944:

Assault:	5	Infantry Divisions (Simultaneously loaded in landing craft)
	2	Infantry Divisions—Follow-up
	2	Airborne Divisions
Total:	9	Divisions in the Assault
Build-up:	20	Divisions available for movement into lodgment area
Total:	29	Divisions

b. That the Allied Commander in Chief, North Africa, should be instructed to mount such operations in exploitation of Husky as are best calculated to eliminate Italy from the war and to contain the maximum number of German forces. Each specific operation will be subject to the approval of the Combined Chiefs of Staff. The Allied Commander in Chief in North Africa may use for his operations all those forces available in the Mediterranean area except for four American and three British divisions which will be held in readiness from 1 November onward for withdrawal to take part in operations from the United Kingdom, provided that the naval vessels required will be approved by the Combined Chiefs of Staff when the plans are submitted. The additional air forces provided on a temporary basis for Husky will not be considered available.

c. The above resolution shall be reviewed by the Combined Chiefs of Staff at a meeting in July or early in August, the date to be decided later, in order that the situation may be examined in the light of the result of Husky and the situation in Russia.

1. The first version of this paper, C.C.S. 237, not printed, was prepared by the Secretaries along lines set forth by the Combined Chiefs of Staff after the “off the record” portion of their meeting on the morning of May 19, 1943 (ante, p. 110). At their meeting on the afternoon of May 19, 1943 (ante, p. 118), the Combined Chiefs of Staff agreed upon certain amendments to C.C.S. 237 which are included in this final approved version of the resolutions. These resolutions were also included in the “Final Report to the President and Prime Minister,” C.C.S. 242/6, May 25, 1943, post, p. 364.