Evening star., 1941-12-19
Strategy
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Strategy
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such an agreement having been
reached.
Secretary of State Hull said at q
press conference today he could not
discuss details of the accord pending
return of the naval officer who had
been sent to Martinique to discuss
the position of the island with ON
cials there.
Mr.. Hull said reports indicated
that a French official at Martinique
had given out the news but that he
awaited return of the American
naval officer for more complete in
formation.
There were reports that all ma
tions with independent forces fight
ing the Axis probably would take
part in the strategy deliberations to
be held here.
Stripped of detail, the aim would
be to channel all their military and
economic strength into striking
power with which to hammer the
Axis at the most effective times and
places, anywhere tn the world.
Diplomatic discussions. already
under way, are being speeded be-
cause Of the rush of world events.
and it was considered probable that
at least preliminary sessions could
be held next month.
War Council Discussed.
The information obtained here
tied in with reports from London
that military and political experts
of the nations arrayed against the
Axis were discussing creation Of q
supreme war council. One London
source declared that announce
ments of great importance are ex-
pected soon" Clement r. Attlee,
British lord privy seal, told the
House of Commons that discussions
were under way for concerted Al
lied war plans"
Maxim Litvinoff, the Soviet's
newly arrived Ambassador. limited
at the general strategy of the anti
Axis powers when he declared that
around the world there were now
separate sectors of one great bat
tlefield"
While the world wide scale of Axis
aggression will make it necessary for
the conference to consider world
wide strategy it is expected that
in view of the immediate threat
from Japanese attacks in the Paci-
fc-the Oriental theater of war will
play a major role in the delibera-
tions.
The Soviet-not at war with Japan
has not engaged in any fighting
In the Pacific sector. but Mr.. Lit
vinof made the Soviet Unions posi-
ton clear when he described Japan
as the common enemy" belonging
to "the same bunch of Axis gang
sters."
May Decide Soviet Role.
At the Forthcoming conference, 1t
was forecast, the anti-Axis powers
may reach a decision as to whether
the Soviet should assume an active
fighting role in the Pacific, or con-
centrate on its increasingly sue
cessful efforts to smash Hitler's war
machine on the Eastern front.
Among other major questions
which informed sources said would
come before the conference are:
Advisability of setting up unified
war council to chart the continuous
and worldwide strategy required to
meet changes in the general situa-
ton resulting from day-to-day de-
velopments.
Coordination of all economic af-
fairs so as to insure the maximum
production of all war weapons and
supplies and their distribution to
sectors where they are most ur-
gently needed.
Collaboration in preventing the
Axis from securing air or naval
bases in Portugal or France and
their possessions, or other neutral
areas not yet embroiled in the war.
Bulwarking Of Turkey.
Bulwarking of Turkey and other
neutral nations which have, to date,
successfully resisted Nazi pressure
to force them to join the Axis or
permit use of their territory or
resources by the Axis.
The anti-Axis nations are ex-
pected to be represented in the dis
cuSsions by their ENJOYS here, re-
inforced by some of their outstand-
ing diplomatic, military and naval
strategists.
With regard to the reported Mar
Unique accord, it was understood
that the neutral status of the island
and other French possessions in the
Western Hemisphere will remain
unchanged. Likewise neutralized
were French naval vessels on this
side of the Atlantic. The French
naval units at Martinique include
an aircraft carrier and a cruiser.
The accord repeatedly was worked
out by United States Rear Admiral
Frederick J. Horne, who flew to Mar
Unique, and Admiral Georges Rob-
ert, French pro-consul for Western
Hemsphire colonies. The United
States, it was learned, will continue
to permit trade with the French pos
sessions in the Caribbean; in turn,
the French pledged they would take
no action detrimental to this Ma
tons interests.
In hostile hands the French pos