We have been giving urgent consideration to the problem of re-
occupation of Hong Kong in the event of the Japanese surrender. I
feel that it is of great importance that the Japanese surrender in
Hong Kong should be accepted, and Hong Kong itself initially
occupied by British Commonwealth Forces rather than by Chinese or
American troops from the mainland of China. Our idea is to send a
detachment of the British Pacific Fleet to Hong Kong as soon as
the Japanese Government have surrendered.

It will be left to the discretion of the Naval Commander as to
whether he should put a party ashore to accept surrender, although
we very much hope that this will be possible. It will, however, be
necessary to put a substantial body of troops, which we estimate
at one brigade, ashore as soon as practicable to disarm the
Japanese forces and to take control. By far the quickest means of
finding such a force initially appears to us to be by taking
Australian troops from Borneo or Morotai and moving them in
further ships of the British Pacific Fleet. This force will be
relieved by troops from South East Asia Command as early as is
possible after the opening of the Malacca Straits. I should be
grateful for your agreement in principle to this proposal.

It will, of course, be necessary for the Commander-in-Chief of the
British Pacific Fleet to make all arrangements in concert with
Gen. MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz.