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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume III
498 — The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to the Prime Minister of Australia1
498
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to the Prime Minister of Australia1
Reference Australian Government's telegram of 21 September.2
We are most gratified that you have agreed with our suggestion for a joint Commonwealth force for the occupation of Japan.
2. We agree with the proposals in your telegram. We should like, however, to be sure that our interpretation of the machinery proposed in your paragraph 6 (v), (vi) and (vii) is correct.3 In framing our reply we have been very glad to have the benefit of Dr Evatt's advice.
3. We envisage an organisation similar to that of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, which worked so well between ourselves and the Americans. This would mean that our members of the joint organisation would be representatives only and would normally consult the British Chiefs of Staff in London before giving their agreement on the questions under consideration. Thus the joint organisation would be, in effect, the combined United Kingdom—Australian Chiefs of Staff, the instructions to the Commander-in-Chief being issued through the Australian Chiefs of Staff. Reference to Governments would therefore be made by the respective Chiefs of Staff to their Governments rather than through the Australian Defence Department, as might be inferred from your paragraph 6 (vii). Inter-governmental discussions, when necessary, would then take place through normal channels as you propose.
page 5284. We suggest that the title ‘Joint Chiefs of Staff’ may lead to considerable confusion with the American Chiefs of Staff, who are also known by that name. We suggest as an alternative, ‘Chiefs of Staff in Australia’.
5. The British Chiefs of Staff will be communicating with the Australian Chiefs of Staff on detailed questions of organisation and command of the force. When these details are agreed, no doubt you will approach the American Government with our joint proposal.
6. For New Zealand: Please despatch your agreement or comments on the above direct to Australia, repeating to us.
7. We are communicating separately with India.
1 Repeated to the Prime Minister of New Zealand.
2 See p. 518, note 2. This was Mr Chifley's reply advising that his Government was agreeable to participating in a British Commonwealth force.
3 Paragraph 6 (v) defined the responsibility of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Commonwealth force to the United Kingdom and Australian Governments through the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Section (vi) dealt with the channels of communication between Governments and between Governments and the Supreme Allied Commander. Section (vii) defined the relationship between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Australian Chiefs of Staff Committee.