890.0146/6–2344
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary: Major General George V. Strong, Senior Army Member of the Joint Post War Committee, came to see me this morning at the request of Lt. General Stanley D. Embick, of the Joint Strategic Survey Committee, and showed me the record of the discussions of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in January and March last on the subject of the ultimate disposition of the Mandated Islands in the Pacific.
In January the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended that no action should be taken which directly or indirectly would prejudice the ultimate disposition of these islands.
In March the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended that in the interest of future security the Japanese Mandated Islands north of the equator should pass to the title and sole control of the United States.
Some concern had been caused the Joint Chiefs of Staff by the agreement between Australia and New Zealand envisaging eventual control by these countries of certain of the Mandated Islands.56 It was pointed out that Australia and New Zealand with their limited resources would not be able to defend these islands against any strong Pacific power; that if these islands should be attacked by some Pacific power, as in the case of the present war, the United States would again have to come to the rescue.
The United States would, however, not be directly concerned with the eventual disposition of the Mandated Islands south of the equator provided that the United States should enjoy operational rights therein.
- Signed at Canberra, January 21; see telegram 12, January 22, from Canberra, vol. iii, p. 169.↩