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[font="Courier New"]Monday, January 5, 1942

Henry:

I think I know where the Japanese carrier fleet is.

The evidence here is not nearly as solid as the evidence for the upcoming invasions of Tarakakan and Balikpapan. We know that the Japanese carrier fleet left the Bismarck Archipelago heading northeast. Submarines and other scouts that we have in the region have given us no evidence that they returned to Truk Island. One of my chief fears is that they were going to sail southeast and attack Canton Island, just as the Marines were busy unloading there. Therefore, I have set up heavy patrols over the waters of their likely approach. I also asked G2 to look for any sign, from the radio traffic or whatever, that the Japanese may be coming down the straight.

It turns out that my guess was far wrong. Listeners picked up an increase in traffic around the island of Nauru. Mostly, they picked up an increase in air traffic signals coming from the region. Then, we got lucky, and we intercepted a communication that came from an area about 100 miles northwest of Nauru Island itself. We think we have pin pointed the Japanese carrier fleet.

Our best guess is that they are going to go to Tarawa. From there, they may try to refuel and launch a lightning strike toward Canton. Sailing at full speed, they could put Canton Island and its ships within range of their fighters and Kate bombers in a day and a night. 135 Kate bombers would be able to obliterate any naval forces in the region.

Our suspicions have been confirmed by the sighting of Japanese 4-engine patrol planes over Canton Island. ASW patrols being flown from the airbase also picked up a Japanese submarine very near the island – close enough to put the ships docked there on a heightened alert. Japan is certainly interested in what is going on around Canton.

We decided that the Japanese fleet is still far enough away that we can continue unloading the marines, at least for another day. However, we are keeping a close eye on the situation, and we stand ready to scatter the fleet if it looks as if the Japanese carriers may be a threat.

Recall that we have posted a single minesweeper at Baker Island to look out for Japanese activity. Our intent was two-fold. One was to provide an early warning against a Japanese push in the area. The other was the hope that signs of allied ships at Baker Island would make Japan think that we are there to occupy the island, and delay or cancel any move to take it. We now have the minesweeper MSW Robin looking out for signs of Japanese carriers.

With the Japanese navy in the area, we may postpone the operation to occupy Baker Island and pull these ships back until the waters have shown themselves to be a bit safer.


Canton Attack

We launched another raid against Canton. This one was like the first, except the American Volunteer Group flew escort rather than carrying their own bombs. Canton was still showing some of the destruction of the earlier attack, with huge columns of smoke coming from the industrial sector from fires that continued to burn. This smoke made it easy to fly to the new targets, though it also obscured some of our targets.

With fewer bombers and the smoke getting in the way, this mission was not as destructive as the first, but we did manage to hit several more warehouses just inland from the docks, and start several more fires.

We found no enemy fighters. I do not think, ultimately, that Japan can afford to ignore these missions. They have to respond somehow, and the only way to respond will be to pull fighters off of the front lines. Otherwise, we have shown that we have the ability to reduce Canton to rubble.

Of course, another way that the Japanese can respond is with a military mission to capture Kweilin, which is the location of the Chinese air fields that the bombers and fighters are flying from. I expect this response soon as well.


Carrier Raid North of Philippines

Intelligence tells me that there was an air raid against Bataan involving Zeros and Kate bombers. To the best of our knowledge, this attack came from a Japanese carrier north of the Philippines. I had been thinking that, while the big carriers are loose in the east Pacific, that the smaller carriers were all being used in the Borneo invasion. That invasion may be more vulnerable than I first thought.


Japan moves up to take Singapore

Aerial reconnaissance and other sources of information tell us that Japan is lining up for the final assault on Singapore. As I said, I expect this to be a short battle. Japan has poured so many troops and so much of its military strength into this operation that there appears no way to stand up against it. If we take the whole theater, Japan has an estimated 150,000 well-supplied troops involved in the conquest of Malaya. Nearly 120,000 of them will be involved directly in the conquest of Singapore. Others are involved at Mersing and are providing a garrison for the other Malaya cities. They have a substantial air force in the region as well.

I am holding on to my original prediction – the fall of Singapore on or before January 15.


Rangoon Cut Off

Japan’s 55th Division is moving forward to cut off Rangoon. It now controls the only rail line leading out of the city. We expect the attack on Rangoon to come very quickly.

Right now, the main race is to see if the Chinese divisions can reach Myitkyina before the Japanese get there. The lead Chinese divisions have covered over half the distance It will take them another month of travel before they can actually get to Burma. So, the question is: Can we keep Japan out of Myitkyina for another month?

Once the leading Chinese units show up, they should be able to contribute to the defense of the city while the trailing Chinese divisions finish the trip. Even if Japan does take Myitkyina, the Chinese units may be able to fight their way through the city and on to India. However, this would be a very costly trip.


I really did not have much to report recently in terms of statistics. The war seems to be taking a lull. Japan is winding up in order to spring forth again, this time in eastern Borneo and, perhaps, against Canton Island. As for us, with both the naval and air forces in Java so badly damaged, there is little that we can do. I keep looking for a way to strike back, but we tend to be a bit outnumbered and outpowered wherever we may try to do so.

I will keep you informed.

Thayne [/font]

[font="Courier New"]Mr. John Downer
Principle Secretary to the Prime Minister
Department of the Prime Minister, Canberra.

Sir:

I must interrupt our discussion for some war news that may have implications for your country.

Military intelligence believes that they have located a Japanese carrier force in the waters northwest of Makin Island, in the Gilbert Islands chain, heading east. This is the force that participated in the bombardment of Rabaul before its fall, delivering 135 Kate bombers in a series of raids that contributed to the Japanese victory there.

On its current course, we are looking at a number of possibilities as to what the Japanese may be attempting.

The scenario that has the most agreement is that Japan is seeking to raid the Line Islands, including our base at Christmas Island, and perhaps to sail in to the open waters east of these islands. The purpose of the raid would be to disrupt the flow of military equipment from my country to yours. Japan may also be hunting one of our carriers -- CV Yorktown, escorting the Baker Island occupation force. There were reports of a submarine-based seaplane spotting this task force a few days after it left Los Angeles. Japan might think that it can find the task force in the open waters and destroy it.

The best case scenario from the Japanese perspective would be to catch several convoys carrying military supplies to Australia and sink them. Failing this, Japan can succeed in its mission by forcing ships to wait on the USA West Coast until the Japanese fleet leaves.

Towards this end, Japan has already had some success. In order to prevent the loss of allied shipping, we have begun to execute the following orders.

• A number of task forces destined for Australia, in the waters east of Hawaii, have been diverted to Hawaii until the threat passes.

• Task forces in the area of the Line Islands, including those delivering supplies to Palmyrna and Christmas Island, have been ordered to sail east, in the hopes of outrunning the Japanese threat. For those task forces that were destined for Australia, each day spent sailing east means a two-day delay in reaching your country.

In order to secure the safety of these task forces, we have significantly increased the patrols flying out of our picket islands of Johnson and Palmyrna.

• At Johnson Island, we added a second PBY squadron with orders to search for the Japanese carrier fleet.

• At Palmyrna, the 39th Bomber Group (22x B-17s), which has been flying anti-submarine patrol in the waters near Palmyrna, have been placed on naval search duty to the full extent of the planes’ range. This augments the PBY squadron at Palmyrna whose normal duty is to search for enemy fleets.

Some cargo ships have already sailed past the danger zone, and their arrival at Australia is not being delayed. These include:

• TF1074, 808th Aviation Engineering Battalion, 1000 miles southeast of New Caledonia

• TF1103, 4,500 tons of war materials (including spares and replacements for your Hudson bombers), 200 miles southeast of Suva

• TF1031, 7,000 tons (also including spares and replacements for your Hudson bombers and other airplanes in your air fleet), 600 miles southeast of Canton Island

• TF1123, 3 large tankers filled with oil, 1500 miles east of Canton Island, sailing southwest, considered well out of range of a Japanese carrier-based raid.

Note: I have looked into the option of sending the 808th to New Caledonia. However, the logistics of placing it under Nimitz’ command and reorganizing its leadership has proved to be too high. The 808th will continue with its original assignment to Australia. However, it cannot be delivered directly to Port Moresby under current circumstances. G2 informs me that Port Moresby is within range of the Japanese torpedo planes at Rabaul. As such, any attempt to sail AP Barnett to Port Moresby will likely result in a fate similar to that suffered by BC Repulse and CA Houston. Therefore, Barnett will be sailing to Brisbane, Australia. From there, I trust that you can arrange rail transportation to Cairns, Australia where the unit will be put to work expanding its airfields to better support operations at Port Moresby, and its shore defenses as protection against a Japanese invasion of northeastern Australia.

I know that we have a great deal still to discuss. I will get back to those issues as soon as I can. For the moment, I am here on Palmyrna with the possibility of a Japanese raid on the way. I fear that I cannot leave at this time because of the effect that this may have on the morale of the troops stationed here.

Thayne [/font]

[font="Courier New"]Tuesday, January 06, 1942

Henry:

I have enclosed a letter to Mr. John Downer in Australia that describes the situation in the eastern Pacific. I will take that as sufficing for here.

I would like to say that the ships that I reported in the letter as heading East are actually heading Southeast, so as not to increase their distance from Australia as much as I have reported.

They represent about 80,000 tons, plus the 8th Fighter Group. These ships also contain two heavy bomber groups – 1 group of 48x LB-30s and 1 group of 48x B-17s. I fear that he may insist that we divert these resources to the defense of Australia. Yet, I could very much use Australia’s rail to get these planes to a northern base or Perth for assembly.

I am also certain that you have read the copy of Mr. Downer’s most recent letter to me. Of course, the demands are entirely unacceptable. It would be foolish to tell Nimitz to use Australian troops in key military operations if there is a chance that those units could simply disappear and leave the fight. It would be like organizing a brigade where each soldier had permission to desert the instant he felt that it was more important to be home with his family. And I can well imagine the reaction to committing Nimitz to giving up his troop transport ships on a beck and call from Australia that could come at any moment.

I will answer him as soon as I get a free moment.

Right now, I have not had much time to think about this. I am sitting here on Palmyrna waiting for the possibility of a Japanese naval attack of a magnitude that hit Pearl Harbor and Rabaul. I feel that I have to stay. The sight of my packing my bags and running to safety is not going to do the soldiers here any good. All code books and encryption equipment in the plane have been rigged with explosives, just in case.


Attack on Eastern Borneo Begins

Submarine and air reconnaissance reports make it obvious that the attack on eastern Borneo has begun. Several task forces left Jolo, on the western side of the Philippines, yesterday. The submarine SS Snapper tried to get a shot at some of the ships, but was driven down by the Japanese escort.

I have mentioned how badly damaged the facilities are at Tarakan. Expect Japan to walk into that without much difficulty. Whether they walk into Balikpapan with any less difficulty depends on how long they take.

One thing that I regret is that we were not able to get as much of the resources out of these two ports as I had hoped. I did not think that Japan would be able to advance so quickly. If I did, I would have had every tanker in the area heading off to these ports to load up with oil and whatever other resources they could grab. By the time that we realized the extent of the Japanese advance, these ports were underneath the Japanese air umbrella, and we could not get to the supplies, let alone try to get them out. We tried to haul supplies out of Palembang. Instead of salvaging oil, we lost a tanker.

At Tarakan, we moved engineers into the area to destroy the oil fields before Japan could take them. However, the air and naval bombardment landed as hard on the teams setting up the demolitions as on the coastal guns. I do fear that these facilities will fall into Japanese hands largely intact.

The defending forces have been told to do what they can to destroy as much of these facilities as possible.


Invasion of Singapore Begins

My conversation with General C.E. Wavell at Singapore was most distressing. Where did the supplies at Singapore go? They seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate – and I doubt the army’s ability to last a week. Some suspect sabotage. I am not one to throw out unfounded accusations. All that I know is that there the amount of supply in Singapore now is very scarce indeed.

Japan came at Singapore with two heavy airraids today. The first was only two dozen bombers attempting to weaken the strongest part of our front lines -- the Australian divisions. The second attacked Singapore Fortress directly with over 60 bombers.

We really have nothing left to challenge the Japanese in Singapore. We have not been able to replace the Buffalo fighters fast enough. The newly arrived Hurricanes cannot reach Singapore. I have even considered throwing Japan a surprise and asking for a miracle from the AVG by sending it to Singapore. However, Chang Kai Shek would see this as sacrificing China to defend England, and the political price would be very high.

This is turning into a tragedy beyond my wild expectations. I believe that if there is any blame to be cast, it is due to the lack of organization at the start of the war, and the lack of full appreciation of what Japan was capable of. We certainly could have tried harder to get additional supplies to Singapore, but we . . . I should say, I . . . honestly did not think that it would be needed, until it was too late. General Percival spent so much effort convincing me that Japan could not possibly take Singapore, I decided that I did not need to worry about it as much as I should have.


Conclusion

I do not feel that I am doing well in this capacity. The failure to seek supplies for Singapore, and the communication issues that damaged the fleet at Java, can squarely be placed on my shoulders as much as on the people who serve under me.

The only place where we seem to be meeting with some success is in China. The American Volunteer Group has inflicted a significant amount of harm. However, that group is now suffering from a lack of qualified maintenance. A full 50% of their planes are unfit to fly and in need of repair.

Do with this information as you will. I need a good night’s sleep. I hope for a better day tomorrow.

Thayne[/font]

To Secretary Thayne
From Alan Brooke (CIGS)

Secretary Thayne

Following the recent meeting of the Dominion High Commissioners and the War Cabinet on the conduct of the War the following points were made with regard to the war against Japan.

1. All efforts are to be made to get supplies to Singapore and the evacuation of non-essential personnel is to be high on the priority list. The fortress must be properly established for a long siege.
2. The PM indicated once more his desire to get the 18th Division and sufficient ammunition/ food and aviation fuel onto the island to enable it to hold out.
3. Despite my previous cable the PM will be communicating with the Australian and New Zealand governments to re open the debate re the employment of 6th and 7th Australian Divisions and perhaps one or more New Zealand Brigades.
4. I believe his intent is to utilise one of these formations on Ceylon freeing up 10 – 12 additional Indian/ British battalions for immediate redeployment to Singapore/ Rangoon. (This is subject to agreement by the Australian Government which the War Cabinet is convinced will only be forthcoming by the immediate personal guarantee from yourself and President Roosevelt re future deployment of US forces to Australia and the security of that continent – the PM has discussed this with the President and initial communications have been opened with the Australian Government).
5. Until a decision is made the arrangements in my previous cable apply and a heavy naval covering force should be assembled to cover troop convoys in the Western Indian Ocean in case of a Japanese thrust to Java/ Sumatra/ Ceylon and the Middle East
6. Given the air battles over Singapore and the inability of our Hurricane Fighters to fly to the island the PM will be requesting at least one squadron of the AVG in the long range Tomahawk Fighter be transferred to Singapore. In recompense I understand the PM will offer increased logistical support to Chiang for allowing the use of these fighters and a commitment to make all efforts at holding Northern Burma and therefore keeping Burma road open.
7. The PM views with grave concerns any temporary abandonment of Rangoon and its harbour and is of the view that lower Burma must be held in order to protect the oil fields in Northern Burma and the Burma Road.
8. All of the above must be done without compromising the security of India and Ceylon.

Secretary Thayne I appreciate the above missive puts exceptional demands upon available resources but all efforts must be made to hold Singapore/ Burma and secure India/Australia/New Zealand without endangering the Middle East or the convoy routes in the Indian Ocean.

I will be sending Lt General Alexander to Burma in the near future to take over the defence of Burma.

I would strongly recommend that next time you are in Washington you speak with Field Marshall Dill who is the newly appointed head of the British Mission to Washington he should be able to provide more details of our global troop availability.


Regards

Alan Brooke

[font="Courier New"]Wednesday, January 07, 1942

Henry:

I am here, sitting in my airplane as it gently rocks in the lagoon on Palmyrna Island, typing away by the light of this little electric lamp. Captain Marshall is asleep on the bunk next to me. If there is any sign of the Japanese approaching this island, the Captain has orders to fly this plane to Pearl and wait out the storm there. I will be staying behind.

I have a blackout blanket between me and the back of the plane, where my radio operator, Lieutenant Hammond, is sitting. He has his feet dangling out of the open door and a fishing pole in his hand. He is the one who has to code and transmit this letter as I get done writing it. Lt. Hammond says he likes the night, and says that he does not mind at all the fact that I keep him up most of the night. He’ll sleep during the day – stealing the Captain’s bunk.

I’m waiting for the morning, where it is possible that I will get to see about 135 Kate bombers attack this place.

The Japanese Carrier Fleet

Allied intelligence, carefully triangulating Japanese air-to-ground radio traffic and other rather obscure pieces of intelligence, tell me that the Japanese carriers are not aiming for Palmyrna, but for Canton Island. They will hit tomorrow or the next day. I am hoping for the next day. Canton Island was the one place where Nimitz did not order a general retreat. There are several troop transports there still unloading elements of the 2nd USMC Division and 2nd USMC Defense Brigade.

Now, they have been ordered away – to the south.

There is a Japanese submarine in the area. We have reports of sightings of Japanese sub-based seaplanes. They can expect to provide some unpleasantness.

Okay, part of the problem of Canton – it does not have supplies for the bombers that are stationed there. The two cargo ships carrying those supplies were only 100 miles away from the island when we started to suspect the Japanese attack. They detoured to the south. So, we are going to have to move the bombers.

Unfortunately, there is no place for us to move them to, where they can reach the carriers attacking Canton.

The one bonus that I can count on our side – the 2nd USMC Defense Battalion reports that they are setting up approximately 80 anti aircraft guns on the island. This, and the 40x Tomahawk fighters on the island, should make the battle a bit more costly than the Japanese may otherwise expect.


Japan Invades Tarakakan

I know that this does not come as a surprise. We have been watching this buildup for quite some time. The sad fact is that we have no way to prevent it. Japan moved in with a substantial surface force – enough to threaten the destroyer squadrons that are all we have left in the region. The Dutch air force – still stationed at Bali -- has too few airplanes to be able to make a serious dent in the invasion.

I am seriously considering asking the Dutch air force to retreat to Australia to be rebuilt. The ships that are presently en route to Australia contain spare parts and spare planes from the Glenn L. Martin Company, shipped to San Francisco from Baltimore in the opening days of the war.

With these reinforcements, we should be able to build up a couple of the bomber squadrons and return them to the front. Right now, there is scarcely a Dutch bomber group that is flying that has more than three airplanes.

The Dutch have suggested combining the groups into larger groups. However, I have asked them not to do so. I want to maintain the potential of rebuilding all of these groups to full strength and using them in the defense of northern Australia.

I should mention that to Mr. Downer in my letter.


Rangoon Attack Begins

Japan has moved to capture the town of Rangoon with what I believe is a full division – the 55th Japanese Division, with the 33rd Japanese Division standing in reserve to the north of the city to block any retreating units.


Japan Moves on Hengchow

The Japanese have begun their preparations to take the Chinese town of Hengchow – the last Chinese-controlled town on the rail lines connecting Shanghai with Hanoi. Chang Kai Shek has commanded an orderly withdraw out of the city. Two of his “divisions” are already out of the city and heading for Kweilin. Two others are on the way.

Chang Kai Shek is also pulling the AVG back from Kweilin. The Chinese lack the air support expertise to keep all of the Tomahawks flying, and half of them now are on the disabled list. By pulling the existing P-40s back to another base, Chang says that he hopes to give the air support crews at Kweilin an opportunity to work on the damaged planes and return them to flight condition. It is still expected to take 10 to 15 days to restore all of the remaining P-40s. In the mean time, the AVG will be flying combat air patrol over the city.


Letter to Mr. Brooke

You will also find, attached to this correspondence, my most recent letter to Mr. Alan Brooke. I worry that it may be too harsh. It’s honest, but sometimes honesty needs to be wrapped up in a pretty package for somebody else to accept it. I do not know Mr. Brooke very well, and do not know what type of package he would find most appealing.


Addendum

I intended to include a letter to Mr. Downer this evening, but I find my eyes forcing their way closed. I will write the letter in the morning and send you a copy immediately.

I leave you for tonight.

Thayne

***********************************************

Enclosure: Letter to Mr. Alan Brooke

Alan Brooke (CIGS)

First, I call upon you to convince Churchill of one unchangeable fact.

No supplies or reinforcements are capable of reaching Singapore.

Any ship that tries is going to meet the same fate as TK Gertrude Kellogg or CL Danae.

If we approach from the west, we would have to sail within 150 km of Khota Bharu and the 27th Light Sentai, 90th Light Sentai, and 89th Light Sentai, all equipped with Lily bombers. Khota Bharu is also home to the 60th Heavy Sentai, 62nd Heavy Sentai, and 98th Heavy Sentai, all using Sally bombers. In addition, if Japan sees a tempting target in the area, they are able to bring down Betty bombers from Bangkok to add to the power.

If we approach from the east, the fate of TK Gertrude Kellogg and CL Danae show us what will happen to those ships.

If Mr. Churchill insists that I pursue this course of action, then I would at least ask that he consider a compromise. Allow me to have the 18th UK Mountain Division equipped for battle, and simply walk or drive off of the edge of the nearest pier and try walking to Singapore. The effect on the troops would likely be little different, but at least I would still have the ships.

In addition, there is little reason to believe that an additional division would do anything more than add to the number of prisoners Japan will collect after the fall of Singapore. Intelligence counts over 120,000 enemy soldiers attacking Singapore – not counting the other soldiers set up as garrison within Malaya itself. Against these numbers, my experts advise me that we would need approximately 5 more full divisions if we are to hold the city. It would take more if we were to have any hope of pushing Japan back out of the Malaya.

Rangoon

Also, please note that Rangoon is in the same precarious position. Japan is already working to cut off this city as they have cut off Singapore and the our army in the Philippines. Losing a third army to the same type of maneuver strikes me as being a less than optimal way to win a war.

AVG in Singapore

On the issue of moving the AVG down to Singapore, I would like to assure you that nothing would please me more. Unfortunately, Chang Kai Shek does not share our concerns. His continuing threat is that he will pull back and refuse to engage Japan, perhaps allowing the Japanese empire to pull several more divisions out of that country and throw them against us. We must keep China in the war, and he insists on having the AVG if he is going to do so.

The Rangoon episode (charges that the British attempted to confiscate material in Rangoon meant for China for its own use) has gotten Chang Kai Shek quite upset. He does not seem to be in the mood to volunteer cooperation. We will need to have a specific offer on the table to entice him to give up the AVG.

East India

As Rangoon falls to the enemy, it is of little doubt that Japan will use this base to try to close down the shipment of supplies to Diamond Harbor. In anticipation of this, I have already moved over 150,000 tons of military supplies to Diamond Harbor, and I have another 100,000 tons due to arrive within the next few days.

Our great advantage here is that we have an overland route of supply available. This is the one place that Japan cannot isolate and destroy has it has done (or threatened to do) to Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and Rangoon – and which it may well try to do to Australia.

It is a solid base on which we can base further operations.

Please note: I am taking steps to deliver three additional transportation squadrons to India, to support our efforts in China and northern Burma. I should have them ready to ship before the end of the month.


Needs

What I really need, in order to execute any operations on the east cost, are fighters. My available fighter forces in India include four badly battered Buffalo squadrons salvaged from Singapore – two of these having only 5 surviving planes each, and two others with 11 planes. The pilots call these planes “flying coffins”. I also have a squadron of antiquated Lysander fighters, which are nothing more than crop dusters with BB guns. These planes really have no purpose other than to serve as training target planes for Japanese fighter pilots.

If I am to continue to be forced to use airplanes of this caliber, I would like to request that you augment this force with a squadron of Sopwith Camels.

Until there are fighters to cover our airbases, our soldiers, and our ships, I fear that there is little that I can do in this theater.

I hope that this letter finds you well, and I look forward to our future correspondence.

Thayne[/font]

[font="Courier New"]To: Mr. Downer
Principle secretary to the Prime Minister
Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.

I am sorry that I am late with this letter. I am at Palmyrna, in the Line Islands, sitting and awaiting the possible arrival of 135 Kate bombers, like those that visited Rabaul a week ago. Reports suggest that they will not come today. They may come tomorrow – here or (what seems more likely to me now) Canton Island to the south.

CV Saratoga and BB Colorado, as well as 5,000 American soldiers on troop transports at Canton Island, are all at risk, so I am a bit anxious.

I started a letter to you earlier that began something like this.

“Mr. Downer. I fear that I must ask you to explain what you mean by some of the conditions you expressed in your last correspondence. For example, you stated, “The Australian government reserves the right to recall any unit at any time.” However, clearly, if an Australian unit has been included in a carefully planned and rehearsed operation to, for example, retake New Caledonia, that we not suffer the risk of Australia recalling key units in that operation, at least until it is safe to do so.”

This represents only one of the questions and requests for clarification that were inspired by your previous correspondence. As a veteran of the diplomatic corps, I have participated in any number of negotiations that started out just this way – where initial demands prompted requests for clarification and alternatives until a mutually agreeable treaty could be signed.

However, these negotiations have often taken months to years, and we do not have that much time. We do not want to be caught like two farmers haggling over whose turn it is to guard the hen house while the fox runs off with all the hens.

It is clear what we need in order to best preserve the security of your country while, at the same time, preventing the types of problems that have plagued the defense of Java with multiple commands issuing conflicting orders to units that are supposed to fighting together against a common enemy.

We need one leader to be placed in charge of the whole region. Australia and the United States alike will trust their troops to that leader, without second-guessing his decisions, or undermining his command. That leader will be charged exclusively with the defense of Australia and Australian territories, until such time as Hitler has been defeated and we can take the offensive against Japan.

And so I propose to you the creation of a Southwest Pacific command, whose sphere of responsibility is the continent of Australia, the islands of New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the Solomon Islands. We will pick a commander for this region who will be in charge of all land and air units assigned to this theater – be they Australian or American. And we shall each pledge those units we can spare to this command.

For example, I am ready to pledge all American units that I have already devoted to the defense of Australia.

This includes:

• The 808th Aviation Engineer Battalion
• 90th Bomber Squadron
• 35th Fighter Group
• 8th Fighter Group
• 51st Base Force – for maintaining and operating the American air units

This identifies the units that are already en route to Australia. I will also hasten to add that I am under negotiation to include the 54th Fighter Group to this list. I have found out just how vital a fighter covering force is. Against the British, I am arguing that the best help they can hope to provide is to beef up the fighter air squadrons in that region. If England comes through on that front, I believe I can convince my superiors to reallocate another fighter group to Australia.

This is, of course, by no means the full extent of our commitment to Australia. It does not include our contribution of naval forces, those units who will fight to keep the supply line to Australia open, or those units still being formed whose final disposition has not yet been settled.

I am going to ask that your country immediately promise to contribute at least the following to this joint command:

• Lark Force Battalion (or at least any portion of it that can be salvaged from their retreat out of Rabaul, if any)

• Sparrow Force Battalion, and Gull Force Battalion, presently occupying and fortifying Aru Island north of Darwin as a breakwater against the Japanese tide.

You also mentioned the contribution of three Hudson squadrons (though I am well aware of your shortage of planes to fill out those squadrons), and the 3rd Infantry Division.

The contribution of a military unit to the Southwest Pacific Command shall constitute explicit permission to employ the unit in combat outside of Australia. We shall consider that if Australia assigns a unit to this command, that this will fulfill the requirement that the Australian government has been consulted and granted permission for the use of this unit by the Southwest Pacific Commander in whatever operations that commander believes is best for securing the safety of Australia.

A unit, once contributed to the Southwest Pacific Command, cannot be withdrawn for any reason. Though, since the Southwest Pacific Command will have as its primary responsibility the defense of Australia, I see no reason why there would be a reason to make such a request.

Any unit not contributed to the Southwest Pacific Command will remain a part of the Australian home guard and subject to Australian command.

The United States Government will abide by the same restrictions. Any unit we contribute to the Southwest Pacific Command cannot be withdrawn, and is to be used to secure the objectives assigned to the Southwest Pacific Command, the first of which will be to secure Australia from Japanese invasion.

We need only to agree upon the leader for this command. Towards this end, I wish to advise you that the American government will be much more prone to contribute men and materials to this new command if the leader was an American. However, I am not immune to arguments that the command should be placed under an Australian leader. Even if an American were named as commander in chief, we would consider it imperative that he include among his staff senior members of the Australian army who can give him the benefit of your unique knowledge of the area, its people, and the forces Australia wishes to contribute.

I feel compelled to add that Douglas McArthur is available for command if you so desire. However, I must warn you that I received reports out of the Philippines on December 9 that, upon hearing of the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor, McArthur was found in a state “unfit to execute the responsibilities of his position.” I have not been informed as to the details of this accusation. I know only that the air force we had assembled in the Philippines was caught on the ground by a Japanese attack squadron 5 hours after the bomber force should have been on its way to Formosa.

I am attempting to work my way to Australia, but I do not know when I can arrive. At that time, I hope that we can have a long overdue conversation. However, I hope that we can settle these issues long before that meeting takes place.

Sincerely,

Thayne[/font]

Sent through Swedish diplomatic pouch arriving January 7th 1942. Letter from Reuters correspondent John Connelly sent from Singapore.

Thayne,

I will forgo the wonder of both hearing from you after all these years and the amazing rise of your station. The fact that you have tracked me down is quite astonishing. You wanted to know about Singapore. I have been here since October as you probably know (getting kicked out of Shanghai is a story in itself but I will not bore you with that). I have always enjoyed Singapore, even though it is British.

Thayne, I do not know what kind of reports you are getting, but if they convey anything except a disaster they are outright lies. I am getting my Reuters reports censored heavily, (basically rewritten by an idiot Leftenant named Stweart) so anything with my byline is not worth taking it to the commode.

Singapore is hell; it invokes the Somme, more like the Somme running through a paradise. Well maybe overstating, the mass carnage of the Great War is not here, but the ruining of a grand city makes it worse. I have seen battle as you know, and bear the title of veteran proudly, but this is sheer waste. It is everything rotten about the British. I could give you a huge diatribe but I will give you just a taste of what I have seen in the last couple of days.

Since Johore fell, sappers blew the causeway, it looked impressive, and we are an island now. That is until some children walked across the canal, the canal is at most 4 feet deep, and I know the Japs are short but not that short.

I see well dressed Brigadiers at the Raffles getting royally drunk, they must be deserters. The fake bravado is mixed with disbelief. The artillery is constant now and the Chinese waiters still appear immaculate as they serve the defeated.

The absurdity of protesting digging trenches across the Cricket Pitch at the Padang while they are blowing up the naval base to keep it from the Japs, the arrogant fools fighting reality.

The dead in Chinatown rotting in the street, no civil services present. I think even the syndicates have left.

The Governer and the Mililtary brass hiding in the Battle Box while fighting has reached the racetrack, its insane.

Thayne I think the British are done here no matter who wins this war. Kipling’s white man’s burden is being shown as the sham it is. And this is not just because I am an Irishman, I think the supposition that the British have a right to rule due to their superiority is being shown the door.

I will try to get this out through the Swedish legation here. I think my status as a neutral will be called into question. I don’t know how or if I am getting out.

Godspeed Thayne, who knows I may be knocking on your office door in a few weeks.

John

Classification

*Top Secret*

*Not to be opened before 6th January 1992.*



Printed copy of meeting between

Mr John Downer
Principle Secretary to the Prime Minister

and

John Curtin
Prime Minister

23:00Hrs 6th January 1942



*Not to be opened before 6th January 1992.*

Australia Federal Archives Office (Canberra).





PM: John thankyou for your time, I know how busy your are these days.

JD: That's quite all right Prime Minister.

PM: John please, we have known each other for years now, and when we are in private I must insist that you call me John.

JD: Yes Prime...er yes John, I'm sorry but old habits die hard. And may I ask after Mrs Curtin? She is improving I hope?

PM: Yes indeed she is but I fear that the distance between here and Western Australia only seems to exacerbate her feeling poorly, what were we thinking when we decided to have the nation's capitol here in Canberra? But please excuse me John, I know that the hour is late. Shall we get down to the brass tacks?

JD: Yes sir. I take it that you have read the latest cable from the Mr Thayne?

PM: Indeed.

JD: Then I guess that the subject here is how we should respond.

PM: Yes John, by the way have you met this Thayne fellow yet?

JD: No sir, never, but I have requested a meeting with him as soon as he gets to Australia, but the trouble is he seems to be nearly twice as busy as I am and if that is the case I worry that we will ever find the time to have a private meeting.

PM: Pity, you can tell a lot from a man by a simple hand shake, I was hoping that you might have had the opportunity to make his acquaintance at some stage in the past. I would dearly like to know what type of man we are dealing with with here. It would make it a lot easier to formulate a reply I should think.

JD: Yes Prime Minister.

PM: John !

JD: Er... sorry.

PM: Never mind. Now to business but before we do would you like a cup of tea or perhaps something stronger?

JD: No tea would be fine.

PM: So in the matter of the troops that the yanks are requesting....Lark, sparrow and Gull force?

JD: Well as you know these three battalions should have been the third brigade to make up the 8th Division that is now fighting in Singapore, but it was decided that they would be used to our direct north.

PM: Yes.

JD: Well it seems that they think that they should be used as a defensive screen to the north of Darwin on, now what was the name of the Island? Ah yes, here we are, Aru Island.

PM: Defensive screen or just another rabbit fence?

JD: No I think that the plan has merit, so long as we can back them up from Darwin with air support.

PM: And that is something we are short of also, bloody aircraft! I cabled London again yesterday asking where in the hell our fighters are, you know, Spitfires and Hurricanes, and that bloody arse Churchill still has not responded, and I know that when he does to will be to only stonewall us yet again.

JD: Yes, but at least the Americans seem more willing to send fighters to us, as you will note in the cable they are sending two fighter groups which is the equivalent of at least 6 squadrons, and also the 90th Bomber Squadron.

PM: Hmm.

JD: And there is also the pledge of more units, I believe sir that this is but the tip of the iceberg so to speak.

PM: Hmm. And what of troops? How many troops are the going to send?

JD: Well sir if you look at...

PM: Yes yes John, I am bloody well aware of what is in the cable, but a couple of bloody road work units is not going to be a great deal of help when the Japs are pouring all over Queensland are they? I still have those bloody morons in London stalling the return of the AIF, I've got the nightmare of all of our blokes in Singapore getting captured or worse, and the bloody yanks are sending me cast-offs from their bloody chain gangs! Cannot anyone bloody well see how thinly spread we are? Christ! Have you seen the reports out of China about what the bloody Japs have done to civilians? Can you even imagine what will happen to our people if they land here? Already I have backbenchers' from Queensland demanding to know what plans are in place to evacuate the state, and one or two even want to start now! Can you imagine the panic?

JD: John.

PM: No ! I have not finished! And what about the American response to our conditions of the use of Australian troops ! They have more or less rejected our right of sovereignty over our own bloody troops! How dare they say that we should not have the right to recall our own troops in the event of the Australian mainland being invaded. How dare they! It is my view that they are just as stuck up as that bloody twit Churchill ! I will not risk this country John, I simply will not. And if we have to go it alone so be it, we will invoke the Brisbane line plan. I will recall all of our Airmen from England if I have to as well as all of our ships from the middle east! And I could give a toss what Churchill or Roosevelt say about it. Stuff the bloody both of them!

JD: Please John.

PM: The South Africans would help, they hate the bloody brits almost as much as the Irish, and there is a thought, we could ask the Irish for help, doesn't seem as if any bloody one else is going to. Rabal John ! We've lost bloody Rabal and Singapore is next followed by all of New bloody Guinea. Christ we might as well sell up and put the drongo pig iron bob back in charge. No ! No ! No bugger it, we will go it alone, we will fight the jap with or with out the bloody brits or the bloody yanks, and to hell with them all!

JD: Please John, we can't.

PM: Can't what?

JD: We'll loose, we'll loose for sure, I'm sorry John but we just don't have the numbers. Maybe we could hold them in Queensland or northern New South Wales, but in the end it is all about numbers, and we just don't have them, I'm sorry John but even the Army top brass at Victoria barracks have crunched the numbers and at best we could look forward to maybe holding Southern New south Wales and Victoria.

PM: Pffffff........yes John I know I know, I've read the reports, and I'm sorry for the out burst, but it is that I just feel so damned helpless.

JD: We need the Americans.

PM: I know.

JD: So ?

PM: So we agree.

JD: Agree to what John?

PM: Agree to full cooperation.

JD: Fully? No questions asked?

PM: NO !

PM: We agree to the use of our troops in joint operations but only after the request is made, damned if I am doing to give them a carte blanche.

JD: So they are allowed to use our troops only if the request is made formally?

PM: Yes, god help me but I am to become little more than a rubber stamp.

JD: And what if the Japs do land on the main land while our troops are elsewhere?

PM: Hmmm. Look how about we tell them that they can have full use of our troops but in the event of an invasion of Australia they must pledge to send an equal number of troops here to help defend Australia to make up for the numbers serving in other areas of the Pacific?

JD: Hmmm.

JD: Better yet, there might be another way.

PM: Yes?

JD: Well sir both we and the Americans are in agreement that the ABDA command has been nothing but a balls-up, and they are making noises about a single unified command, American of course....

PM: Of course.

JD: .........and they have put forward the idea of a South Pacific command, taking in Australia, PNG and the Bismarck Archipelago, now it stands to reason that....

PM: Yes, yes of course! If we had an American in command then it is much more likely that he could get better access to men and material than we are currently getting.......

JD: And you know how much the yanks like to win.....

PM: .......and the cost burden would be shifted onto the Americans........who are they saying they want to have for the job?

JD: A Douglas McArthur, seems like a strait up and down sort of bloke, bit of a clothes horse, and is not shy of seeing his name in print...

PM: Another Monty?

JD: Well no, not exactly, more like, well more like an American Caesar.

PM: Hmmmm.

JD: But he comes with baggage, and is getting soundly thumped in the Philippines at the moment.

PM: Douglas McArthur eh?

PM: Very well John, send a cable to Mr Thayne, agree to the use of our troops but only after they have been requested, and only IF they will send troops directly here in the event of an invasion. Also say that we and in favour of a unified command but ONLY with an Australian as second in command, and I think that role should go to Blamey. And as to who should be in over all command, well let them officially put forward a name, and I guess we will eventually agree. Can't be seen to saying yes to quickly name eh?

JD: Indeed.

PM: Right John, off you go, and get some rest. Let me know once you have sent off the cable. Good Night.

JD: Yes Prime Minister.

Diary Entry Alan Brooke Diaries Thursday 8th January

The new American commander appointed by the Americans has proven to have a bit of fire in his belly.

Responding to one of PM's demands after the last Cabinet that Singapore be reinforced we sent a strong cable out to Thayne outlining instructions we had given that Singapore must be reinforced.

Thaynes response was colourfull in fact the damned cable nearly caused a riot Eden wanted his head on platter and the PM went up like a Roman Candle at the tone of the cable. Winston showed me a cable he was preparing to send to Roosevelt fortunately we managed to talk him down.

The PM is strange last night he was denouncing Thaynes cable preaching fire and brimstone then this morning he was supporting him in Cabinet. Sometimes I wish he would be consistant. I think the mans gall actually got the PM interested he likes nothing more than a good argument in fact he thrives on it.

I am going to send a private cable to Archie (Wavell) to get the truth of whats happening in Singapore I am not sure we are getting the most accurate data on the course of the war out there if Thaynes information is correct then I will manage the PM's desire hold Singapore and Rangoon.

PM just cannot seem to focus on what is reasonable he was talking about Norway again today managed to talk him out of it but he keeps revisiting these little schemes of his. He is full of new ideas now that he has the Americains in the war. Tried to tell him it will take a year to mobilise America for war and that the worst is yet to come but he won't listen - he always wants to attack everywhere.

He is jogging Auchinleck sent another cable to Mid East demanding an offensive in the Desert. He doesn't accept that diversion of of forces to India leaves Auchinleck unready and overstretched. Auchinleck has been ordered to divert five more Hurricane Sqns to India and Burma leaving the Desert exposed. PM doesnt realise importance of air superiority for successfull offensives.

Pound as Head of the Chiefs of Staff shouldn't have let the cable go to the PM but he is getting tired. I don't know how he copes with the hours he does at his age. All day managing the PM and then all Night on the U Boat War.

The PM is due to see Roosevelt quite soon and is intending to seek confirmation of a Germany 1st strategy as we are hearing rumours that element of the US forces want to finish Japan 1st especially King there Naval Chief of Staff.

p.s

PM met Australian High Commisioner again today trying to get 7th Australian Division diverted to Ceylon and/or Java. No joy Australian's will not go for it. Will probably have to let it rest now we have pushed as much as we can. I am convinced Japanese will not invade Australia or NZ and even if they do they won't get anywhere but its became an emotive issue for the Australians and we will not push it to the wire. In all honesty I don't see how we can we cannot materially reinforce Australia as we are short everywhere. I know enough Hurricanes to equip one fighter squadron are being despatched headed for Australia but thats about the most we can offer.

[font="Courier New"]Thursday, January 8, 1942

Henry:

I had a nightmare last night.

I was with the British navy in India, when Japan brought its carrier fleet right up the west coast.

I had given permission to move the fleet to the Persian Gulf, out of harm's way. We were about 200 miles west of Karachi when our ship just stopped. The engines were still churning. When I looked down the stern, the propellers were turning like mad and stirring up a lost of sea water. However, were were not making any wake.

The captain reversed engines. We backed up. Then, going forward again, everything was fine -- then we stopped again.

It was not a sudden stop -- not like we were hitting a wall. It was like sailing into an invisible sponge. We just slowed down, and stopped.

Meanwhile, the Japanese carriers were catching up with us. Reconnaissance airplanes from Bombay and Karachi kept track of them.

The captain ordered full power to the engines. He was willing to see the boilers crack from the pressure before he allowed the Japanese to hit us. Still, our ship did not move. It was as if the hand of Poseidon had reached up from below and held us fast.

Then, the radar operator announced that Japanese planes were inbound. I could see them. Over 200 airplanes, inbound. All of them coming right for us. Torpedo bombers circled to come in from every direction at once. Dive bombers topped over. Yet, we could not go anywhere.

I watched the lead dive bombers drop its bomb. It seemed to be aimed right it me. I watched it grow bigger. Like the ship, I could not move. I was frozen where I stood.

Then, I woke up. I was covered with sweat. I started to stand, but my legs were so wobbly that I fell right back into my cot. It had never felt so frightened in my life.

I think that the nightmare sprang from my anxiety over CV Saratoga and BB Colorado. I fear that these ships may be lost without having had an opportunity to fight. Do the Japanese know where they are? Do the Japs know how close they are coming to sinking one of our carriers?

I hate trusting to my enemy's ignorance. I woke my radio operator and demanded that he get Nimitz on the line. The lieutenant had the gall to question whether I should talk to Nimitz. He said that Nimitz would consider it some sort of emergency. I told him that it was an emergency, and he answered, "What? It's an emergency that you had a dream?"

I wanted him keel hauled. But, he was right. Nimitz was in command of this region. I had to trust that he knew what he was doing. If I got a message with the exact location and speed of the Japanese fleet, that was one thing. A night mare -- no, we are not going to start basing our war strategy on reading tea leaves and entrails.


Canton Targeted

Canton won the lottery. That’s where the Japanese fleet was heading. Search planes found it about 350 miles northwest of Canton Island. However, since supply ships have not yet delivered bombs to Canton Island, there is little that can be done but to watch.

There is, at least, a chance of the ships escaping now. Japan may try to give the island a thorough pounding tomorrow. Nimitz has three dozen fighters and over 80 anti aircraft guns at the ready at Canton. I suspect that Japan is going to want to do SOMETHING disruptive while he is in the neighborhood.


Ground War Losses

Japan is continuing to simply plow through the towns. Their victories yesterday included:

Rangoon. A few men belonging to the 103 Royal Navy Base Force managed to escape into the swamps west of town. However, it is to be expected that they may die there. We are trying to think of plans to help their escape. It seems unlikely at this point. Official estimates tell of nearly 45000 allied soldiers being taken prisoner, with another 1,000 casualties of the war.

Tarakan I had no delusions that the town could hold up once Japan landed its army. The army turned out to be far larger than I had expected. Nearly 15,000 enemy troops took place, against 1,000 defenders. Those defenders have been driven out of town. They are now working their way south to Balikpapan. Of these, 300 became casualties of the Japanese attack.

Butuan The last allied stronghold on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao fell into Japanese hands yesterday, with a successful attack against Butuan. With no place left to retreat to, the allied forces in the city surrendered, and Japan ended up capturing another 7,000 soldiers.

Hengchow, China Japan cleared the Chinese army from this city laying astride the rail line from Shanghai to Hanoi. Actually, the Chinese largely abandoned the city, moving out of town to the south in an attempt to reach Kweilin. Chang Kai Shek is continuing to refuse to seriously engage the Japanese. There is nothing that I have been able to do to convince the Chinese leader to seriously challenge the Japanese. It is our continuing fear that, once China has thrown Japan far enough away from the main population centers, that they will remove divisions for operations further south.


I really am tired and I am preparing to go to bed. I was not able to sleep well last night, with the thought of an impending attack on this island. I still worry that the Japanese may decide to continue east and discover CV Saratoga and BB Colorado. I do not think that I will be able to sleep tonight either. It depends on what Japan has planned for tomorrow.

Sweet dreams.

Thayne


***********************************************************

Attachment

To: Mr. Downer
Principle secretary to the Prime Minister
Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.

Recent events at Tarakan have given me reason for concern about the setup we are attempting to establish at Darwin and Aru Island.

What is missing from Darwin are the means to protect the harbor from naval bombardment. Japanese surface ships at Tarakan completely obliterated the shore batteries at Tarakan. Plus, they were able to inflict serious damage on the runways. They would have put the air force there out of business if there had been an air force.

There will be an air force at Darwin, and it will be essential to the defense of Aru Island. I cannot think of why we cannot build a runway far enough from shore to be free of these types of threats, but the engineers tell me that it cannot be done. So, our only option is to keep the Japanese surface ships away from the shore. Mines would be useful – if we could get any up there. Coastal guns would be useful as well.

Would you be able to identify any coastal guns that can be dismantled and transported to Darwin?

Thayne[/font]

From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.



Mr Thyane

After some consultation with the Prime Minister I feel that I am now able to full address you concerns in regards to the use of Australian troops.

This Government agrees that the threat posed by the Japanese thrusts into Asia far out weigh any petty political squabbles and to this end it has been decided to release without any reservations the full use of the Australian military forces for joint operations against this threat.

However as with all things there must be some points that the US should consider and understand and I hope that you can forward these onto your Government.

1/ The Australian Government must be fully consulted before any troops are used in operations and that the US military must first have the use of those troops approved.

( I can assure you that this is simply a matter of asking for the sake of bi-partisan politics ).

2/ That if the Australian mainland is invaded or breached by Japanese forces then it is incumbent upon the US military to replace any Australian unit that is committed elsewhere in the defence of the Australian mainland and to do so with all possible haste.

( Surely you can understand our need in this area, for too long now in this war we have sent our forces elsewhere to help others and now find that when our hour of need has arrived that little or no support is forth coming from those whom we have supported. )

Beyond the above I can see no other problems other than the fact that we still have some Royal Australian Navy ships in action around the sub continent that we feel could be put to better use in home waters.

As to the matter of a unified command we can see no reasons and indeed only positive outcomes from such a command structure being put in place. Your suggestion of

General Macarthur is one that would be welcomed by this Government, and we would even suggest that our general Blamey would make an excellent second in command. I am sure that you have recommended this General because of his abilities and the Prime Minister looks forward to meeting both you and the General at the earliest possible convenience.

In regards to the issues that are press upon our Northern Boarders it is felt that it is better to yield ground rather than to have men wasted in useless acts of defence, such as we are now seeing in Singapore. And so maybe it should be better to consider that Aru Island is better left rather than risking troops at this point?

We are able to assist in the defence of Darwin against possible Japanese fleet attacks by allowing the release of the 6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment, currently based in Melbourne and also the 5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment is helping with Sydney's defence. Both of these units will be made ready for re deployment north.

As for mine laying units I am afraid that we have nothing that can fill that role and you may have to look to your own USN for help in that area.

Sincerely

John Downer

TO DOWNER
FROM THAYNE

JAP CARRIERS LEAVING CANTON HEADING WEST STOP LIKELY TARGET NOUMEA JAN 13 STOP POSSIBLE SECONDARY TARGET AUSTRALIA EAST COAST JAN 17 STOP ONE SQUADRON MITCHELL BOMBERS ARRIVING BRISBANE 1600 JAN 11 FROM EAST STOP

Great AAR.

Not to cut into you Role playing but I havent read anything about how your pilots are doing ? Any Aces out there ?

Also could do the same for good sub commanders.

Just a suggestion. In my own AAR long ago RPGed the giving of medals for commanders that did well as a way of adding color. Guess you could do something similar or even come up with something better.

Remember is alot of crome to this game if you chose to use it

Trying to be helpful

[font="Courier New"]

JAP CARRIERS LEAVING CANTON HEADING WEST STOP

BERLIN, Germany, January 8, 1942 (UPI): The German government today welcomed the news that Japanese aircraft carriers had set out west from China. Meanwhile, in London, the British War Cabinet issued a statement expressing confidence that this unexpected development would not unduly complicated Allied naval and air operations in the Mediterranean.[/font]

[font="Courier New"]Friday, January 9, 1942

Henry:

With the Japanese carriers heading west from Canton Island, I was able to get a good night’s sleep for one.

Losses

I know that I have not needed this section for a while, but things have changed.

• 8x P-40C Tomahawk (Flying Tiger) at Kweilin, China

• 1x B-17C over Rangoon. This is not, in itself, a significant event – except to note that we are now flying B-17 missions into Rangoon.


AVG: China

The Japanese air force launched an attack against Kweilin air field yesterday. A few AVG fighters attempted to defend the city, losing four of their number to an equal number of Japanese – while also losing 4 planes on the ground. The AVG is suffering heavily from insufficient numbers of skilled mechanics and air service personnel. Most of their planes (and I mean literally, most) are damaged and unable to fly. They sit at the side of the runway waiting for somebody to make them fliable again.


Burma

I am getting some disturbing reports out of Rangoon. In spite of the fact that the Number 103 Royal Navy Base Force was charged with demolishing all strategically important resources in the city, Japan seems to have captured the city more or less intact. Oil fields, pipes, and transfer stations are all intact. The docks, train yards, and warehouses were not destroyed. I have no specific information regarding the fall of the city or how this could have happened, but I am not pleased.

The remnants Number 103 have fled into the swamp west of Rangoon. Attempts will be made to rescue them. However, their commander, Lt. Col. Usher, will be relieved of duty immediately.

In response, we have started to launch bomber raids against Rangoon. 11 B-17s out of Diamond Harbor attempted to destroy the airfields. They were met by an equal number of zeros, who managed to shoot down one of the heavy bombers. According to our bomb assessment team, the group’s bombs missed the airfield -- hitting instead a service road in a rubber tree plantation 5.8 miles from the target.


Re: John Connelly

I thank you for your offer, Henry, but I fear that it would do more harm than good. John Connelly's life depends on his neutrality. If we try to offer him aid, no matter how covertly, rumors would spread and his independence and his life would both be in greater danger.

Besides, John can take care of himself. I would not be surprised to hear of him riding out of Singapore on a Japanese destroyer sharing tea with the captain.

Nor would I dream of asking him to spy for us. If I were even to hint to Mr. Connelly that I once entertained the notion of possibly asking him to obtain military information, I would never hear from him again.

As for his anti-English bias, I do not hold it against him. It has been the root cause of his success and has given him access to places where others could not go. Foreign officials know that, when they are talking to him, they are not talking to a mouthpiece for the British propaganda machine.

Besides, you know my opinion of the colonial system.

And I find this type of information useful. I have said often enough that the most important factor in the fighting ability of any unit is its morale. This is a measure that one cannot obtain by reading the commanding officer's report.

I had hoped that Mr. Connelly would give me information to suggest that the British at Singapore could hang on and endure a protracted siege. His writings suggest that they cannot.

Java will be the next target for the Japanese troops. Generaly A.P. Wavell (who I still keep confusing with that former Colonel that we have running things in Singapore now) is withdrawing the Dutch air force back to Australia, awaiting the arrival of spare planes and parts. As the air units get rebuilt, he intends to fly them back into battle.


Negotiations

It seems that some things are starting to come together. The Brits are sending some Hurricanes, and the Australians are getting their 7th Division.

The fate of the 6th and 9th Divisions are still under dispute.

Henry, I hate to say this, but now it's your turn. Do you happen to have an extra infantry division that you can spare?

I know what I said about the Hitler First strategy, and I'm sorry. You're right. I am here to execute the will of the President, not execute my own agenda. But, this fits in with your Hitler First strategy, I assure you.

I think that I can handle the issue with the 6th Division. The issue is with the 9th. Quite simply, if you do not give me an American division to send to Australia, the Aussies will pull the 9th Division from the fight against Hitler. Either way, you are going to have one less division with which to fight Hitler. Isn't it better that it be an untrained and untested American unit that is an ocean away from the conflict, than a tried and tested Australian unit sitting on the front lines?

Give me a division. I'll ask the Aussies to accept it and to leave the 9th Division where it is. I recommend some urgency to this decision. If Java falls, Prime Minister Curtin will quit negotiating the return of the 9th Division and simply issue the order for it to come home. We have until then to work out an alternative arrangement.


Heroes

I understand your request. You need heroes that you can parade before the American press to build up morale at home. That recent string of Japanese victories certainly did not help matters. The inevitable fall of Singapore will not help either.

If you want to focus on heroes, I have to mention the following:


The 24th Fighter Group, Philippines. Five weeks into the war, and they are still a cohesive unit, flying in defense of the small pocket of territory that the allies have been forced into. They have shot down 40 enemy airplanes according to our most conservative estimate. This one unit has our top five pilots of the war to date.

• Lt. J. H. Moore, 6 kills
• Cpt. G. M. Mahony, 5 kills
• FO P. Arnold, 4 kills
• FO D. Wirth, 4 kills
• FO N. Young, 4 kills

These are among 26 pilots still operating 17 fully functional P-40 Warhawk fighters in the midst of the Philippine jungle.

To be honest, if you can come up with a brilliant excuse to pull this unit out of the Philippines, give them some rest and some new equipment, I would certainly hate to lose their experience. However, I consider the presence of this unit in the Philippines to be a significant boost to the morale of the local soldiers. Besides, it keeps the Japanese bombers away.


The American Volunteer Group This group, since it became active in China, pulled off two stunning victories – one right after the other. The first was a raid on the Japanese air units at Wuhan, China, where they shot down 17 enemy fighters at the cost of 1 of their own. The raid was so successful that Japan pulled its air force out of China for a couple of weeks.

To entice the Japanese back into China, the AVG lead a bombing raid against the infrastructure at Canton – the region where trains bring cargo to the docks. It is a region packed with factories, warehouses, and the means for getting plunder from China back to Japan, while bringing in arms and ammunition.

The raid was a stunning success. Food and ammunition stores, textile factories, lumber yards, fuel depots, rail yards, all suffered massive damage. It even succeeded in bringing the Japanese air force back to China.

But, the AVG is suffering from a lack of decent repair facilities. More than half of its planes can no longer fly due to a lack of spare parts and qualified maintenance.


Battle of Sulaween River The Burma army set up an ambush that caught the 33rd Japanese Division, forcing them back across the river in retreat. This was the first (and only) substantial victory to date over a Japanese force. Recall, they set up an ambush where they allowed Japan to send a few units across the river, then attacked those forward units while the bulk of the Japanese were still on the other side of the river. They inflicted tremendous casualties.

The units involved in this ambush were:

• Burma Frontier Force Brigade
• 13th Indian Brigade
• 16th Indian Brigade
• No. 106 RAF Base Force

It should be noted that the soldiers in all three combat brigades are Indian, and not British – though they were under British command.

Well, I got some letters to write.

Let me know about that division as soon as you have news.

Thayne[/font]

TO DOWNER
FROM THAYNE

RE: 453 SQDN

NO 453 RAAF SQDN ARRIVES AT BRISBANE JAN 12 PER REQUEST STOP ENGLAND TRANSPORTING SUFFICIENT HURRICANES FOR SQUADRON UPGRADE STOP HURRICANE ARRIVAL EXPECTED JAN 24 STOP

TO: SECRETARY THAYNE
FROM: JOHN CONNELY AP SENT JANUARY 9TH 1942

FIGHTING NOW IN CITY PROPER STOP.
INDIAN MORALE LOW DESERTIONS COMMON STOP.
LOOKING FOR WAY OUT OF TOWN STOP
SINGAPORE FALL ANY DAY STOP.
GOOD BYE UNTIL BETTER TIMES STOP.

JOHN

[font="Courier New"]Saturday, January 10, 1942

Henry:

All coral atolls look alike. Remember that picture I sent you a few days ago of Palmyrna Atoll? Well, I’ve included a snap shot of Canton Island as we flew in today. Notice any difference?

Okay, there’s some difference. But not much.

One of the main difference is that this island is crowded. Too crowded. We have to get some of these people off of here.

The original plan was for the task force that brought the Marines to hold some training exercise here as a unit. Then, the division was to be split up with part of it going to American Samoa and another part to British Samoa. The exercises were interrupted by the arrival of the Japanese carriers. With too many people on the island for comfort – and too few supplies – the transports went away.

General Marston said that he learned some valuable lessons concerning the arrival of soldiers with supplies. In an invasion, it would be wise to have some landing ships devoted entirely to delivering supplies. There are times when a soldier on the beech does not need another soldier next to him, but another box of ammunition instead instead.

Once the transports return, the operation will continue. However, Nimitz has warned me that the Japanese may try to return. It would be just like them to feign a withdraw and then snap back around and attack the place after everybody settles down. So, we’re keeping the transports away for an extra day or two and waiting to see what the Japanese do.

G2 tells me that they are still heading west, in the general direction of Guadalcanal. I’m still expecting them to turn south, and I have given the fleet permission to abandon Noumea for now. The fleet would be a great defense against a landing force or even a bombardment force, but against a pack of carriers they are a nothing but targets.

There’s a surface task force – cruisers and destroyers – on their way here with some emergency supplies to hold us over until the big cargo ships come back. It will help. It will keep these people fed properly for a while. They’re getting tired of breakfast in a box, and there is nothing on this sandpile worth scrounging.


Baker Island Occupation Force

The Baker Island Occupation Force is getting near, and it is time to start planning how this operation is going to work.

I need to assume that Japan is using the same type of intelligence system that we are. If the carriers get too close to Palmyra, news would reach the Japanese. The only way to keep the location of the carriers a secret is to keep them far at sea.

The best route for approaching Baker Island is to sail between Palmyra and Johnson Islands, then turn south.

I am almost hoping to see the Japanese carrier force around New Caledonia in the next few days – or, better yet, even further west. Don’t let Mr. Downer know this, but a Japanese bombardment of Townsend on the 17th would fit well with what we need here.



Reinforcements

Since it is Saturday, it is the day I fill you in on the reinforcements that I have been told will become available in the Pacific over the next week.


Highlights

• BB New Mexico shows up at San Francisco on Tuesday
• The Brits are activating another three Hurricane squadrons and a bomber squadron in India, as well as providing the support crews to operate and maintain them
• The Americans are releasing another fighter group for use in Australia


Details

Sunday, January 11, 1942

• 49th Fighter Group, 72x P-40E Warhawk, Seattle
• CLAA Caledon at Karachi
• SSO21 at Soerabaja
• AKs: Minukai, Jefferson Mayers, Nebesna, Haroon at San Francisco
• TKs: California Standard, Imlay at San Francisco

Monday, January 12, 1942

• 201 RAF Aviation Squadron at Karachi
• 135 Squadron, 16x Hurricane II at Karachi
• AKs: Admiral Williams, City of Dalhart at San Francisco
• TK Gulfbelle at San Francisco

Tuesday, January 13, 1942

• BB New Mexico at San Francisco
• DD Tjerk Hiddes at Columbo
• AKs: Mahukona, Manoa, Mormacmar, San Anselmo, San Vincente, Willimoto at San Francisco
• TKs: L.P. St. Clair, Paul M. Gregg, Meton at San Francisco

Wednesday, January 14, 1942

• 242 Squadron: 16x Hurricane II at Karachi
• 211 Squadron: 12x Blenheim IV at Karachi
• DD Walke at San Francisco
• TKs A.C. Rubel, Cathwood, Mevania at San Francisco

Thursday, January 15, 1942

• SS Grenadier at Los Angeles
• AKs: Maliko, Onomea, Donald McKay, San Simeon, West Shipper at San Francisco
• TKs Bahrein at San Francisco

Friday, January 16, 1942

• 225 RAF Aviation at Karachi
• 605 Squadron, 16x Hurricane II at Dacca
• DD Pakenham at Karachi
• AKs: Waipo, Mormacrio, Charles McCormick, American Press, City of Elwood at San Francisco
• TKs: H.T. Harper, M.E. Lombardi, Kekoskee, Hagood at San Francisco

Saturday, January 17, 1942

• AKs: San Bernadino, Vermont, West Ives, Timber Rush at San Francisco
• AK Empire Johnson at Karachi


Mao’s Guerilla War

One aspect of the war that I have not had much of an opportunity to talk about is Mao Tse Tung’s guerilla war against the Japanese. Part of Mao’s strategy is to send small military units deep into enemy territory to disrupt communications. He’s got three units out there right now, engaged in various operations, cutting roads and other lines of communication, and generally giving the Japanese some reason to defend themselves in depth.

The Japanese are not very tolerant of these little incursions, and have military units out and about to catch and destroy the enemy. However, the communists tend to be somewhat slippery. When the Japanese attack, the communist fade into the wilderness, only to appear days later and tens of miles away from the sight of the original battle.


Negotiations

I will pass along your news to Mr. Downer, who will no doubt relay it to Mr. Curtin. However, I believe you are mistaken if you think that this will be enough to convince Australia to keep the 9th Division in Africa.

Thayne[/font]

From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.





Mr Thayne

Thankyou for you efforts over the last few days, I can assure you that it has not gone un-noticed by this governments leadership.

I believe that we can provide some more help in the form of a RAAF support unit and an Infantry Brigade to be used as required.

The following units are both located at Devonport and have been issued with warning orders to move within 4 days notice. The Units in question are N0 106 RAAF Base force and 12 Brigade. The government would prefer that these units be used for local support of defences within Australia, but understands the current pressing issues for their possible deployment elsewhere.

We are still having little success in getting firm timetable for the release of the 9th Division from the middle east. As has happened in the past Downing sty seems to be deliberately engaged in delaying even the receipt of our request let a long responding to it. I would urge you to apply whatever pressure you can to see this problem cleared.

Sincerely

John Downer