Memorandum by the British CS
Quebec, 13 September 1944
Top secret
CCS 452/28 (OCTAGON)
Directive to SACSEA
We recommend that the Combined Chiefs of Staff should now despatch the following directive to Admiral Mountbatten.
Directive to Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command
Your primary object is the recapture of all Burma at the earliest date. Operations to achieve this object must not, however, prejudice the security of the existing air supply route to China, including the air staging post at Myitkyina, adequate protection of which is essential throughout.
The following are approved operations:
a) The stages of Operation CAPITAL necessary to the security of the air route;
b) Operation DRACULA.
The Combined Chiefs of Staff attach the greatest importance to the vigorous prosecution of Operation CAPITAL and to the execution of Operation DRACULA before the monsoon in 1945, with a target date of 15 March.
If DRACULA has to be postponed until after the monsoon of 1945, you will continue to exploit Operation CAPITAL as far as may be possible without prejudice to preparations for the execution of Operation DRACULA in November 1945.