Cablegram 32 CANBERRA, [C. 17 December 1941] [1]
SECRET MOST IMMEDIATE
Your 30. [2] Commonwealth Government considers it essential that organisations for complete co-ordination of Allied economic, political and military policy should be set up rapidly as possible and we are cooperating to this end to fullest extent.
Inform Generalissimo [3] accordingly and say we are willing to support his proposal for joint military council.
In meantime, Government has been advised that President Roosevelt has sent message to Generalissimo suggesting he immediately calls an inter-Allied military conference at Chungking to agree on preliminary recommendations in regard to common action against common enemies. Similar message sent to Stalin for conference Moscow and United Kingdom Government has agreed to call naval and military conference at Singapore to which China, United States and Netherlands representatives will be invited. Australia and no doubt New Zealand will be represented Singapore conference.
President’s objective is that these conferences will lead to some more permanent planning of Organisation.
As President has asked each conference to report by 20th December you should immediately inform Generalissimo that Commonwealth Government strongly supports these preliminary conferences.
On assumption he will agree to call conference it is desired that you attend this and all Allied conferences held at Chungking as Commonwealth representative.
Keep us fully informed of situation as our information sparse, especially regards Burma and South China.
Substance of above repeated to Washington and London.
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1 Copies of this cablegram were circulated in Canberra on 17 December.
2 Dispatched 15 December. On file AA:A981, War 49, i.
3 Chiang Kai-shek.
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[AA:A3831, 1941, 2543]