Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943

J. C. S. Files

The Combined Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, North Africa (Eisenhotoer)

secret
C. C. S. 387/3

[Cairo,] 5 December 1943.

1. We have decided to set up a unified command in the Mediterranean Theater on account of its geographical unity and its dependence on all bases in the area.

2. We have no intention of changing existing organization and arrangements any more than is necessary to give effect to our main intention. You should assume, therefore, that all present arrangements continue with the exceptions outlined below but you should report as necessary whether you consider any further changes are required in the light of experience.

3. To your present responsibilities you will add responsibility for operations in Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary, Crete and Aegean Islands and Turkey. The British and American forces allocated to you from Middle East will be determined by the British and United States Chiefs of Staff, respectively. You will have full liberty to transfer forces from one part of your Command to another for the purposes of conducting operations which we have agreed. The Commanders in Chief, Middle East, will be under your orders for operations in these areas.

4. You will provide U. S. Strategic Air Forces under separate command, but operating in your area, with the necessary logistical and administrative support in performance of Operation Pointblank as the air operation of first priority. Should a strategic or tactical emergency arise, you may, at your discretion, utilize the 15th U. S. Strategic Air Force for purposes other than its primary mission, informing the Combined Chiefs of Staff and the Commanding General, U. S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, if and when that command is organized.

5. You will in addition, assume responsibility for the conduct of guerrilla and subversive action in all the territories in your command and for setting up the necessary organization for the dispatch of supplies to resistance groups in occupied territories.

6. The Commanders in Chief, Middle East, will remain directly responsible to the British Chiefs of Staff for all the territories at present in Middle East Command situated in Africa, Palestine, Syria and the Lebanon, and for the operation and security of the Middle East base with such forces as the British Chiefs of Staff may allot for this purpose from time to time.

7. You will be notified later of any adjustments which are thought necessary to the machinery by which you receive political guidance. In the meantime, in respect of the new territories in your command you should obtain any necessary political advice from C-in-C Middle East¹ through the channels he at present uses.

8. The system of Command is shown on the attached diagram (Appendix “A”).² You will note that the Mediterranean Air Command will now be known as Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.

Appendix “B”

Balkan Support³

It was agreed at the Eureka Conference that our support of the Patriots in the Balkans, which now falls within the area in which you are responsible for Allied operations, should be intensified in order to increase their effectiveness.

You will be responsible for supporting them to the greatest practicable extent by increasing the supply of arms and equipment, clothing, medical stores, food and such other supplies as they may require. You should also support them by commando operations and by furnishing such air support as you may consider advisable in the light of the general situation.

You should examine the possibility of continuing to supply the Patriots with Italian equipment, in the use of which they are already experienced, making good deficiencies in Italian formations to such extent as may be necessary with available British or American equipment.

We consider that this mission is of such importance that it would best be controlled on a regular basis by a special commander and joint staff.

1. General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson.
2. Not printed herein.
3. Pursuant to the Combined Chiefs’ decision of December 3, 1943 (see ante, p. 669), the Combined Staff Planners on December 4 prepared a draft directive to Eisenhower on supplies for the Partisans. The present appendix incorporates the draft directive except that “Partisans in Yugoslavia” was changed to “Patriots in the Balkans” in the first paragraph, and “Partisans” was changed to “Patriots” in the third paragraph. See ante, pp. 704–705.