J. C. S. Files

No. 57
The Head of the British Joint Staff Mission (Wilson) to the President’s Chief of Staff (Leahy)

top secret

My Dear Admiral. You will remember that at the end of the last C. C. S. Meeting you suggested that we ought to exchange ideas on the agenda for any Combined Chiefs of Staff meeting that might possibly be arranged in connection with the forthcoming meeting of the Big Three.

I communicated your views to the British Chiefs of Staff who now tell me that they agree entirely. Indeed they have carried the matter a step further forward and would like to suggest that the opportunity of the meeting of the three Heads of State should definitely be taken to hold a Combined Chiefs of Staff Meeting.

As regards the meeting of the three Heads of State, which as you know is now fixed for the 15th July, I can now say that on the Prime Minister’s instructions the British Chiefs of Staff will be in attendance throughout, and in the course of this meeting they agree that tripartite meetings with the Russians are likely. The British Chiefs of Staff propose however to take only very small staffs to Germany.

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With regard to meetings of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, the British Chiefs of Staff would like to propose that these take place in London before the meeting of the three Heads of State. They suggest that about three or four clear days might be allowed for work.

They tell me that they will be letting me have their views on the subjects for discussion very shortly. Obviously the various aspects of the war against Japan, including Russian participation, will form the main item.

Yours sincerely

H Maitland Wilson