America at war! (1941–) – Part 4

Meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff with Roosevelt and Churchill, 6:00 p.m.

On board the USS Quincy in Grand Harbor, Malta

Present
United States United Kingdom
President Roosevelt Prime Minister Churchill
Fleet Admiral Leahy Field Marshal Brooke
General of the Army Marshall Marshal of the Royal Air Force Portal
Fleet Admiral King Admiral of the Fleet Cunningham
Major General Kuter Field Marshal Wilson
General Ismay
Secretariat
Brigadier General McFarland Major General Jacob

CCS Minutes

February 2, 1945
Top secret

The Meeting had under consideration an interim report to the President and the Prime Minister by the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS 776/1).

The President expressed his appreciation of the amount of progress which had been made in so short a time in the military discussions.

The report was then considered paragraph by paragraph.

a. Paragraph 6h
The President and The Prime Minister were informed that discussion was proceeding upon the wording of the basic undertaking to be included in this paragraph.

General Marshall said that the wording proposed by the British Chiefs of Staff raised a new question which involved placing supplies for liberated areas, over and above those required for the prevention of disease and unrest, in the same category as operational requirements. This would entail a change in the general priority at the expense of essential military requirements, which the United States Chiefs of Staff were disinclined to accept.

The Prime Minister inquired whether the British import program would be affected. He pointed out that Great Britain had had less than half her pre-war imports for over five years, and he was afraid lest the requirements of liberated areas, and even certain of the military requirements, would necessitate a reduction in the tonnage which it was hoped to import into Great Britain in 1945.

Sir Alan Brooke explained that the wording of the proposed basic undertaking was still under discussion, and the matter was not submitted for consideration at the present meeting.

The Prime Minister, referring to paragraph 6f, thought that great efforts should now be made to pass supplies to Russia via the Dardanelles.

Admiral King said that this was all in hand and the first convoy was expected to go through on 15 February. The delay had been caused by the fact that the port of Odessa had not previously been ready to receive the supplies.

b. The U-Boat War (paragraphs 7 and 8)
The Prime Minister expressed his agreement with this paragraph. He thought the time had not yet come to take drastic measures at the expense of other operations, though it might be necessary to do so if the U-boat campaign developed in the way expected.

c. Operations in Northwest Europe (paragraphs 9 and 10)
The President and The Prime Minister were informed that complete agreement had been reached on this question.

The Prime Minister referred to the importance of having plenty of divisions available for the support of the main operation in the North, so that tired divisions could be replaced.

Sir Alan Brooke said that this had been allowed for. Ten divisions would be in reserve and available to replace tired divisions in the battle. Other divisions could also be taken from the less active parts of the front.

The Prime Minister inquired what action had been taken on SCAF 180.

Sir Alan Brooke explained that the Combined Chiefs of Staff had taken note of this telegram. General Bedell Smith had given further explanations of General Eisenhower’s proposed operations, and two further telegrams had been received from the latter. SCAF 180 should be read in the light of these additional explanations and telegrams.

The Prime Minister questioned the meaning of the words “to close the Rhine” which occurred in paragraph 10 of the report.

It was explained that these words were a quotation from General Eisenhower’s signal, and were understood to mean making contact with, or closing up to, the Rhine.

d. Strategy in the Mediterranean (paragraphs 11, 12, and 13)
The President inquired whether the Combined Chiefs of Staff were satisfied that if the forces proposed were withdrawn from the Italian Front, enough troops would be left behind for the task in hand.

Sir Alan Brooke said that Field Marshal Alexander had been consulted and had agreed to the withdrawal of three divisions forthwith, and two further divisions as soon as they could be released from Greece.

The Prime Minister said that there should be no obligation to take forces away from Greece until the situation there admitted of their withdrawal. It was necessary to build up a Greek National Army under a broad-based government.

Sir Alan Brooke drew attention to paragraph 4 of the proposed directive to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean (Appendix “A” to the report), in which it was stated that further complete formations after the first three divisions would be sent as they could be released from Greece.

The Prime Minister said that he expected that by the time the first three divisions had moved it would be possible to start withdrawing troops from Greece. He was in full agreement with the course proposed, and was particularly glad that General Marshall had taken the view that Canadian and British troops should be withdrawn. There were special reasons for desiring the transfer to France of the Canadian Corps. He was also anxious that the British contribution to the heavy fighting which would be taking place in Northwest Europe should be as great as possible.

In reply to an inquiry by the President, Sir Henry Maitland Wilson said that he was in complete agreement with the course proposed.

With regard to the proposed withdrawal of air forces, Sir Charles Portal explained, in reply to an inquiry by the President, that the move of five groups was in question. Two were to go now, and proposals for further moves were to be made by the Supreme Commanders in consultation.

The Prime Minister agreed that it would be unwise to make any significant withdrawal of amphibious assault forces from Italy, as to do so would be to relieve the Germans of an ever-present anxiety.

Referring to paragraph 7 of the proposed directive to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean, the Prime Minister said that he attached great importance to a rapid follow-up of any withdrawal or of any surrender of the German forces in Italy. He felt it was essential that we should occupy as much of Austria as possible as it was undesirable that more of Western Europe than necessary should be occupied by the Russians.

Referring to paragraph 8 of the proposed directive, dealing with support to the Yugoslav Army of National Liberation, the Prime Minister said that he presumed that the phrase “the territory of Yugoslavia” should be interpreted to mean the existing or lawful territory of Yugoslavia. There were certain territories which were claimed by both Yugoslavia and Italy and he was unwilling to give any suggestion of support to the claims of either side. For example, Trieste ought to be a valuable outlet to Southern Europe and the question of sovereignty in that area should be entirely reserved.

The President agreed and said that he was unwilling to see either the Yugoslavs or the Italians in complete control.

Sir Alan Brooke pointed out that the phrase as used in the report applied to the present territory of Yugoslavia.

The War Against Japan

e. Operations in Southeast Asia Command (paragraphs 18 and 19)
The Prime Minister said that the main object of the operations to clear the enemy from Burma was to liberate the important army engaged there for further operations against Japan. He inquired whether the Staffs had come to any conclusion on what these further operations should be.

Sir Alan Brooke referred to Appendix “C” of the report, which contained the proposed directive to the Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia Command. The directive gave as the next task the liberation of Malaya and the opening of the Straits of Malacca.

The Prime Minister hoped there would be time to review this matter in accordance with developments. For example, if the Japanese forces in Java or Sumatra were greatly weakened, small detachments might be able to go in and liberate these countries. His object, however, was to go where a good opportunity would be presented of heavy fighting with the Japanese, particularly in the air, as this was the only way which the British had been able to discover of helping the main American operations in the Pacific.

Sir Alan Brooke pointed out that the Supreme Allied Commander was directed to submit his plans, and it would then be possible to review the matter.

The Prime Minister inquired whether paragraph 18 meant that there would be no help from United States air forces in operations in the Kra Peninsula, Malaya, et cetera.

Sir Charles Portal pointed out that any such help would be the subject of a separate agreement when the plan had been received.

The Prime Minister inquired whether the President had not been somewhat disappointed at the results achieved by the Chinese, having regard to the tremendous American efforts which had been made to give them support.

The President said that three generations of education and training would be required before China could become a serious factor.

General Marshall pointed out that the picture in China was now considerably changed. In the first place, certain well-trained Chinese troops were now in China, having been transferred there from Burma. Secondly, the opening of the Burma Road had meant that the first artillery for the Chinese Army had been able to go through. Thirdly, if operations in Burma continued to go well, additional trained Chinese troops could move back to China, and it was hoped that an effective reinforced Chinese corps would soon be in existence.

The Prime Minister said that it now appeared that the American and British operations in this part of the world were diverging. The American effort was going on into China and the British effort was turning to the south. He inquired whether any consideration had been given to the move of British or Indian divisions from Burma into China to take part in the operations there.

Sir Alan Brooke said that the facilities for sending equipment and supplies into China allowed of the support of Chinese forces, who required a considerably lower scale than British troops. These facilities certainly could not support British troops as well.

General Marshall agreed that the maintenance of British forces in China was not a practical proposition. There was only one reinforced United States brigade in China, which would act as a spearhead for critical operations. There was the reinforced Chinese corps, which had a stiffening of United States personnel in their tanks, armored cars, tank destroyers, et cetera, and there was an effective air force. These forces should now be able to insure that the Japanese could no longer go wherever they pleased in China. The aid which could be given by these forces to the American arrival on the Chinese Pacific Coast would be important. A pincer movement against the Japanese could in this way be initiated – one arm of the pincer being represented by the forces assaulting the selected spot on the Chinese Pacific Coast. This arm would be strong. The other arm of the pincer would be the Chinese and American forces in China. This arm would be weak, but nevertheless of value. The progress of the American main operations in the Pacific and the campaign in the Philippines had changed the picture in Southeast Asia, and would make further operations by Admiral Mountbatten’s forces much easier. He felt that it was important that Admiral Mountbatten should know what forces would be available to him in these operations, and that he should not plan on a false assumption. The American military authorities in Southeast Asia would know what United States forces could at any time not be supported logistically in China. These could be made available to Admiral Mountbatten in Burma. It might even be possible to bring air forces back from China for specific operations. Admiral Mountbatten should, however, be under no illusion as to what forces he could count on for his operations.

The Prime Minister repeated that if the Americans made any request for British troops to go into China, he would certainly be prepared to consider it.

Admiral Leahy said that all the transportation available was fully required for the forces now in China, or earmarked for China.

General Marshall agreed, and said that he did not think it would be practicable to increase the forces in China until a port had been secured. Up to the present it had been possible to do only a very little in the way of equipping the Chinese ground army. Nearly all the transportation had had to be used for the needs of the American air forces. It would now be possible to handle the requirements of the Chinese ground forces.

Referring to paragraph 17, and Appendix “B,” which contained an outline of the plans and operations proposed by the United States Chiefs of Staff for the Pacific, the Prime Minister inquired whether it had been decided to delay the assault on Japan until after the close of the German war.

General Marshall said that this delay had been necessitated by the fact that until the German war ended, shipping, air forces, and service troops, could not be made available in sufficient quantities to enable the main operations against Japan to be carried out. If the German war had ended in December of 1944, it would have been possible to operate against Kyushu in the autumn of 1945. There were also certain seasonal limitations on operations in this area.

Summing up, the Prime Minister said that he was glad to see that such a great measure of agreement had been reached. He understood that the present report was merely designed to keep the President and himself abreast of the progress of the discussions, and that a final report would be rendered later.

The President agreed, and again expressed his appreciation of the work which had been accomplished.

Discussion then turned upon the conduct of future discussions, and Sir Alan Brooke explained that arrangements were being made to keep all the accommodations available at Malta so that the conference could be resumed there if necessary after the discussions with the Russians.

The President and the Prime Minister expressed their agreement with this action, and said that although final plans need not be made until later, it appeared highly probable that a short meeting at Malta on the return journey would be desirable.

The Meeting then adjourned.

Roosevelt-Churchill dinner meeting, 8:00 p.m.

On board the USS Quincy in Grand Harbor, Malta

Present
United States United Kingdom
President Roosevelt Prime Minister Churchill
Mrs. Boettiger Mrs. Oliver
Secretary Stettinius Foreign Secretary Eden
Mr. Byrnes
Fleet Admiral Leahy

U.S. Navy Department (February 2, 1945)

Communiqué No. 573

The LST reported in Navy Department communiqué No. 571 should have been identified as the LST-749. The LST-749 was lost in operations in the Philippine Area. The LST-759 has not been lost.


Communiqué No. 574

Far East.
U.S. submarines have reported the sinking of ten enemy vessels as a result of operations in these waters. The ships sunk were:

  • 2 medium cargo transports
  • 2 medium tankers
  • 3 small cargo vessels
  • 1 large transport
  • 1 medium transport
  • 1 small tanker

These sinkings have not been announced in any previous Navy Department communiqué.

The Pittsburgh Press (February 2, 1945)

TWO ARMIES CLOSE ON MANILA
Yanks ashore southwest of Luzon capital

Other troops gain north of city

map.020245.up
New Luzon landing by the Eighth Army put U.S. forces ashore at Nasugbu, southwest of Manila, as Sixth and Eighth Army troops drove on the city from the northwest.

GEN. MACARTHUR’S HQ, Luzon, the Philippines (UP) – American tanks and infantrymen converged on Manila from two sides today.

The capital and the entire Jap defense system in southern Luzon were outflanked with a surprise landing 13 miles below the mouth of Manila Bay.

Amphibious forces of the U.S. Eighth Army, knifing into the enemy’s thinly-held west coast defenses for the third time in 48 hours, swarmed ashore early Wednesday at Nasugbu Bay, 41 miles southwest of Manila.

The landing was completed without loss and at last reports the Americans were advancing inland through weak opposition at a pace that may have already carried them to the shores of Manila Bay, within artillery range of Corregidor.

Liberate internees

Troops of the U.S. 11th Airborne Division who carried out the new invasion captured Nasugbu town, liberating a colony of interned European nationals, and struck out for Tagaytay Ridge, 20 miles to the east, where Highway 3 curves northward to Manila.

The operation started out as a “reconnaissance in force” by units of the 11th Airborne Division, but was turned into a major landing by on-the-spot orders of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, commander of the Eighth Army. He ordered the landing when the first assault units reported only token opposition.

Tokyo broadcasts said the Americans now have at least eight or nine divisions on Luzon and asserted that about 11,000 to 11,200 Yanks have been killed or wounded in the first three weeks of the campaign. The enemy accounts contended that the main Jap forces on the island have not yet been engaged.

Patrols operate freely

The new thrust broke open the back door to Manila, already menaced by U.S. Sixth Army veterans moving down from the north. The Sixth Army’s 37th “Buckeye” Infantry Division was reported 20 miles or less north of the capital, on and probably beyond the Angat River line below Calumpit.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s communiqué said the 37th Infantry Division’s patrols were operating freely throughout the area, indicating that the Japs were making no attempt at a determined stand above the capital.

Caught between the two American columns, the Japs in Manila faced the prospect of retreating southeastward around the shores of Laguna de Bay within the next few days of being trapped and annihilated inside the city. Their only other alternative was a flight to Corregidor for a death stand on “the Rock.”

Battle near Clark Field

As the battle for Manila moved into its final stage, fierce fighting in the foothills of the Zambales Mountains 50-odd miles to the northwest, where several thousand Japs were being bombed and shelled out of their hilltop positions just west of Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg.

Considerably weaker resistance faced the U.S. Eighth Army spearheads advancing eastward across the 18-mile-wide base of Bataan Peninsula from the recaptured Olongapo Naval Base at the head of Subic Bay. Vanguards of the Eighth Army were reported nearing Dinalupihan, 13 miles east of Olongapo, where they were expected to seal off the peninsula by joining Sixth Army forces moving down from Lubao, 10 miles to the northeast.

Far to the north, other Sixth Army forces beat down savage Jap opposition northeast and east of the Lingayen Gulf beachheads. An enemy column was ambushed and destroyed on the Umingan–Balungao road near the eastern end of the American line. The Japs suffered heavy casualties and eight of their medium tanks, eight artillery pieces, 15 tracked vehicles and many supply trucks were destroyed or captured.

Gain four miles

In the upper Agno River sector 10 miles north of Umingan, U.S. troops drove four miles east of Tayug to the Nativad area, while three miles farther north they captured San Nicolas after a six-mile advance eastward from San Manuel.

U.S. heavy bombers dropped 152 tons of bombs on Corregidor and the Cavite Naval Base in Manila Bay, while other raiders swept the enemy’s road lines and airfields in northern Luzon, destroying five grounded planes at the Loag and Tuguegarao airdromes and sinking a small freighter and eight barges off the island’s north coast.

Fighter-escorted PT boats sank another coastal vessel, two barges and two small craft in a sweep around the east coast of Luzon.

Long-range U.S. fighters destroyed six and probably eight more Jap planes in a daylight sweep over Formosa and other raiders set fire to a 10,000-ton enemy tanker south of the Sakishima Islands.

Tokyo broadcasts said Jap submarines torpedoed and probably sank two large American transports and an oil tanker off the west coast of Luzon Tuesday and that a U.S. submarine was sunk by air action somewhere in the Western Pacific.

Prisoners killed by Jap neglect

Rescued describe conditions on Luzon
By Frank Hewlett, United Press staff writer

Allied troops storm Alsatian stronghold – Yanks attack West Wall

Nazis may abandon Colmar bridgehead in East France – Eisenhower, aides confer

Berlin bracing for death stand

By the United Press

U.S. casualties increase 35,392

Army, Navy totals reach 737,342

WPB SHUTS GAS-HEATED THEATERS, BARS
Fuel crisis perils schools, churches, too

Operations curtailed in industrial plants

U.S. moves to curb walkout in mines

Federally-operated pits are involved

Work-or-else bill rushed in Senate

Committee gives control to Byrnes

Sinatra starts draft board trip

I DARE SAY —
The real reason

By Florence Fisher Parry

Perkins: French back Soviet labor’s fight for voice

Sympathy regarded significant in London
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer

Vinson favored for RFC director

Fight-loving Rangers scorn helmets in Luzon rescue

Battle at Jap prison camp lasts only 15 minutes as Yanks attack from two sides
By Ralph Teatsorth, United Press staff writer

Henderson shuns post in Germany

Rail centers battered by big RAF raid

Berlin also hit in 1,000-plane attack

Landing promised on China coast


10 more vessels sunk by U.S. subs

Lone B-29 raids Osaka, Japs say