Cablegram 227 (extract) WASHINGTON, 25 March 1941, 5.31 p.m.
MOST SECRET
For Chief of Naval Staff [1] from Naval Attache. [2]
With reference to my telegram No. 199. [3] Seventh Progress Report.
(1) Final report envisages exchange of Military Missions with the United States when the United States enter the war to collaborate continuously in the formulation of the plan governing the conduct of the war and to ensure co-ordination of administrative action and command [between the] [4] military services.
(2) Report proposes that the Dominions be represented on the British Military Mission in Washington by their Service Attaches.
(3) Until the United States enter the war it is intended to set up a nucleus organisation of Military Missions in London and Washington in order that broad policies and plans that have been agreed to may be considered in detail and that the change over from peace to war be effected rapidly and smoothly.
(4) Admiral Danckwerts [5] will represent the United Kingdom Chief of Naval Staff [6] in the nucleus organisation.
(5) Final report includes a recommendation that a conference of military commanders in the Far East should be convened without delay to prepare plans for the conduct of military operations in the Far East in accordance with the provisions of that report.
(6) Probable that the United Kingdom Chiefs of Staff shortly will propose that a conference, vide paragraph (5), be held as soon as they have seen the final report and can telegraph the summary to the Far East.
(7) Probable that the final report will be signed on Friday, 28th March.
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1 Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin, but see Document 355, note 2.
2 Commander H. M. Burrell.
3 Document 355.
4 Corrected from the Washington copy on file AA:A3300, 123.
5 Member of the U. K. delegation to the Anglo-American staff conversations in Washington.
6 Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound.
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[AA:A981, FAR EAST 25B, i]