288

Mr John Curtin, Prime Minister, to Mr Winston Churchill, U.K. Prime Minister

Cablegram Johcu 20 CANBERRA, 21 January 1942

MOST SECRET

Reference Winch 10. [1] I appreciate your full reply and reciprocate your sentiments on the unity of our efforts.

2. Just as you foresaw events in Europe so we feel that we saw the trend of the Pacific situation more clearly than was realised in London.

3. Events have unfortunately justified our views regarding Malaya and I am very disturbed by reports from Gordon Bennett [2] as to the serious position.

4. The long-distance programme you outline is encouraging but the great need is in the immediate future. The Japanese are going to take a lot of repelling and in the meantime may do very vital damage to our capacity to eject them from the areas they are capturing.

CURTIN

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1 Document 281.

2 General Officer Commanding 8th Division, A.I.F.

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[AA:A3196, 1942, 0.2040]