British Commonwealth Force. Following are the comments of the
Australian Chiefs of Staff on the reply of the United States
Government contained in your E.50. [1]

2. The Chiefs of Staff recalled that the Commonwealth Government
originally agreed to the participation of Australian Forces in the
occupation of Japan on the understanding that our Forces would
operate as an independent force under an Australian Commander, who
would be subject only to the Supreme Commander. Later it was
agreed that Australia would participate in a British Commonwealth
Force on the basis set out in our cablegram No. 1500 of 18th
October, 1945, addressed to the Australian Legation, Washington.

[2]

3. Under the proposals agreed by the British Commonwealth
Governments concerned, the British Commonwealth Force would
operate as a separate Force under the Force Commander, who would
be under the control of the Supreme Commander for operational
matters and be responsible on policy and administrative matters
affecting the Force to the Governments concerned, through the
Joint Chiefs of Staff in Australia. Apparently General MacArthur
wishes to make the Land and Air Forces comprising the British
Commonwealth Force directly responsible to United States
Commanders and the British Commonwealth Force would therefore
cease to be a separate entity. Further, as the United States
Government envisages that the Commonwealth Force will be
integrated operationally into the United States Forces, it is
possible that the various components of the Commonwealth Land and
the Air Forces may themselves be split up into small parties under
subordinate United States Commanders and removed from the command
of the British Force Commander. If this view is adopted, it will
be quite contrary to the original conception of a combined British
and Dominions Force as an entity in the occupation of Japan and as
originally agreed upon by the British and Dominions Governments
concerned.

4. This proposed arrangement is therefore considered
unsatisfactory. The British Commonwealth Governments concerned are
responsible for the maintenance of their Forces and it is
essential for administrative reasons, e.g. supplies, rationing,
works matters, amenities, common services, etc. that the British
Commonwealth Force is kept together as an integral Force. It would
be impossible for the Force to be self-contained as envisaged by
the United States Government unless all these administrative
aspects could be coordinated under the one commander. For this
purpose, too, it is important that the land and air force
components should be located in the same area, which should
include port facilities.

5. For operational purposes it is our view that the United States
Authorities should consider the British Commonwealth Force as a
task Force and following the practice adopted in the operations in
the Pacific, the Force should be given responsibility, under a
particular higher commander of United States Army or Air Forces if
necessary, for such operations as may be allotted to it. The
detailed allocation of the Force for particular duties or
operations should be determined between the Force Commander and
the Supreme Allied Commander. It is important too that the Force
Commander should have the right of direct access to General
MacArthur on all matters affecting the Force.