After the Pacific War Council meeting I went back to the Foreign
Office with Anthony and had about 3/4 hour with him.

The first point I dealt with was in connection with the reports of
Japanese battleships in the Indian Ocean. These reports suggested
that there were possibly 4 or 5 battleships somewhere south of
Ceylon and 2 or 3 battleships somewhere on the east coast of
India. If these reports are true it would indicate that the
Japanese, in complete contempt of the American Fleet, had moved
the greater part of their battle fleet into the Indian Ocean
where, if they remained, they would be in a position to play merry
hell.

I suggested that if the Japanese had done this it was a god given
chance for the Americans, but what disturbed me was that our
relations with the Americans did not appear to be sufficiently
close and cordial for us to put up the position to them in the
flattest terms.

I admitted that the Prime Minister [1] had telegraphed to the
President [2], but that that did not seem to me to be dealing with
the matter as it should be handled.

Eden expressed his entire agreement that we did not seem to be
getting into sufficiently close contact with the Americans but he
did not appear to have any idea as to what was the practical step
to take in regard to it.

I suggested that advantage should be taken of Hopkins' [3] visit
to try and arrive at a better understanding.

I then went on to my second point which was that if the Japanese
could with impunity send their battle fleet into the Indian Ocean
we not being in a position to send forces that could cope with
them, and the Americans not being in a position to create a
diversion which would draw them out of the Indian Ocean, a
situation would be created where it was difficult to see how
reinforcements could be go[t] to India, Burma and the Middle East
by sea.

In the event of such a situation arising there was no sense in
continuing a flow of convoys down the west coast of Africa, under
the whole programme that has been laid down for months ahead, with
a view to diversion when they reach the Cape to whatever area was
most in danger, if in fact they could not proceed to such an area.

If after careful consideration of the position and the fullest and
frankest consultation with the Americans there appeared to be a
danger of such a situation as I had visualised arising in the
Indian Ocean, surely we had to turn our minds towards the question
of whether the creation of a second front in Europe was not the
course that we had to pursue and divert the shipping that would
have been used for long distance transport of reinforcements to
this objective. [4]

I indicated the usual arguments, but I need not go into them, as
to the effect upon the German offensive in Russia and their
actions in Libya, of the creation of a second front.

With these arguments, rather to my surprise, Eden showed the
greatest possible interest and suggested that he had submitted a
paper to the Prime Minister down somewhat similar lines, which had
been referred to the Chiefs of Staff some three weeks ago, but
upon which they had expressed no views up to date.

Eden said that he had little doubt the Chiefs of Staff would be
opposed to any such proposal but that Mountbatten [5], with whom
he had had a long talk on the subject, was greatly in favour of
it. Eden also stressed that he thought something of the sort was
necessary from the point of view of the morale of the Army which
could not be kept at a satisfactory level unless it was given
active employment.

I then raised the whole question of our position on the sea,
pressing my views as to the necessity of utilisation of the Air
against the Sea. [6] I also outlined to him my views as to the
form a modern naval engagement would take, namely the preceding of
such engagement by an air battle. I asked if he knew the number of
aeroplane carriers we, the Americans and the Japanese had; the
types of fighters and bombers they carried and how the efficiency
of the respective personnel was regarded.

Eden did not know the answer to any of these questions but told me
of an episode when an aeroplane carrier had set out with 40 modern
machines, but when it reached the area of operations there were
only 7 fit for use-the balance having been smashed up in practice.

I again emphasised the importance of adequate air support for our
naval forces and referred to the scheme of cruiser and carrier
units outlined in the Australian Chiefs of Staff appreciation. [7]
I also told Eden how that scheme had been turned down by the
Chiefs of Staff on the basis that cruisers plus aircraft carriers
would be out-matched by cruisers plus aircraft carriers plus
battle ships. [8] This view of the Chiefs of Staff might be
correct but I would not be prepared to accept it without
considerable examination and discussion of the position.

I urged Eden to take the matter up with the Prime Minister
stressing that to my mind it was the outstanding issue of the war
because without control of the seas it would be impossible to
carry on operations in the various theatres in which active
hostilities were now in progress.

S. M. BRUCE