Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

J. C. S. Files

No. 1269
Memorandum by the British Chiefs of Staff¹

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C. C. S. 892/1 (Terminal)

[Babelsberg,] 20 July 1945.

Directive to the Supreme Allied Commander Southeast Asia

We submit for the approval of the Combined Chiefs of Staff the attached draft directive to the Supreme Allied Commander Southeast Asia.

[Enclosing—Extract]²

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Draft

Directive to the Supreme Allied Commander Southeast Asia

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Boundaries of Command³

2. The Eastern Boundary of your command will be extended to include Borneo, Java and the Celebes.

Full details of this extension are contained in the Appendix.

3. Further information will be sent to you regarding Indo-China.

4. It is desirable that you assume command of the additional areas as soon as convenient⁴ after the 15th August, 1945. You will report to the Combined Chiefs of Staff the date on which you expect to be in a position to undertake this additional responsibility.

5. From that date, such Dominion and Dutch forces as may be operating in your new area will come under your command. They will, however, continue to be based on Australia.

6. The area to the east of your new Boundary will be an Australian command under the British Chiefs of Staff.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Appendix]

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Eastern Boundary of Command⁵

Beginning on the coast of Indo-China at 15°N; thence through the Balabac Strait along the 1939 Boundary Line between the Philippines and Borneo to latitude 05°N; thence eastward to 05°N. 128°E; thence southwestward to 02°S. 123°E; thence southeastward to 08°S. 125°E; thence southwestward to 18°S. 110°E.

1. Considered by the Combined Chiefs of Staff at their 197th Meeting, July 20. See ante, p. 162.
2. For the other paragraphs of this draft directive, see the enclosure to document No. 1285.
3. Except for the amendment noted in footnote 5, post, the Combined Chiefs of Staff approved these paragraphs without change. The approved text of the directive was circulated as C. C. S. 892/2, July 20.
4. The word “convenient” was amended to read “practicable” in the text approved by the Combined Chiefs of Staff.
5. This appendix was approved by the Combined Chiefs of Staff, and was reproduced without change as the appendix to the enclosure to C. C. S. 892/2, July 20. On August 7, however, a corrigendum was circulated by the Secretaries of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, substituting for this text of the appendix the definition of the boundary contained in the annex to appendix B to document No. 1381.