Evening star., 1942-01-04
Wove|| Heads United Forces
In Pacific, With Brett as Aide;
Hort to Direct All Naval Units
Chang in Charge
Of Activities in
China Area
By JOHN C. HENRY.

6treamlining of the war COM
mands of 26 nations now united
In the effort to defeat the Axis
was shaping up today as Gen.
Sir Archibald P. Wavell. veteran
British officer, prepared to take
over full responsibility for execu-
ton of fighting strategy on land,
sea and air in the vital South
west Pacific area.
Designation of Gen. Wavell to this
supreme post was announced late
Yesterday by the White House, and
was accompanied by word that
China's Generalissimo Chang kai-
shek was being accorded similar
sweeping authority over land and
air forces fighting the Axis IN the
Chinese theater.
1t was believed last night that
parallel unifications of command are
imminent on other fronts where
there is joint fighting endeavor-
such as the North Atlantic and the
Mediterranean-Near East sectors.
In addition, and of comparable
Importance, it appeared likely as a
result of a long meeting OF British
American supply and production ex-
perts last night that joint supply
board also will be formallZed.
New Effectiveness Sought.
Ont of these various simpllf1ca-
tions of command it is believed that
a new effectiveness will come to the
united arms, a concerted mobillz1ng
of full striking power at every polnt
where action Is imminent or con-
templated. accompanied by a syn
chronization of supply movements
Presumably, under this arrange
ment there would be no repltltlon
of such disastrous and disJolnted
operations as the movement OF the
British naval squadron OH Malaya
without air protection-resultlng IN
the sinking of the battleship Prince
of Wales and battle cruiser Repulse
by Japanese torpedo planes.
That full weight is being given 10
all the fighting branches in dlvlslng
the centralized commands is m
dicated by the makeup OF tnat
named for the Southwest Paclnc
area.
Brett Deputy Commander.
DESIGNATED as deputy supreme
commander was Maj. Gen. George
n Brett. chief of the Air Corps OF
the United States Army, who ior
months past has been on special
missions in both the Middle and Far
East.
To command all naval forces. al
though still under general super
vision of Gen. Wavell, was named
another American, Admiral Thomas
G. Hart, now commander OF the
United States Asiatic Fleet.
Gen. Sir Henry Pownall, British
commander in Singapore, was
named chief of staff to Gen. Wavell.
Under this integrated command
will operate strong British empire
land forces, naval units IN wnlcn Inc
American squadron is predominant
but to which the Dutch already have
rallied important strength and air
forces of all the participating powers
Immediate Strategy Defense.
The whole structure Of the unified
command, the White House SAID IN
its announcement, results from sug-
gestions made to President Roosevelt
and Prime Minister Churchill by the
British and American staff officers
who have been meeting here during
the past two weeks. Concurrence OF
the Netherlands government and OF
the dominion government affected
was obtained.
The selection of Gen. Wavell as
the supreme commander was made
at specific suggestion of the Presl-
dent, It was said. Gen. Wavell first
won renoWn by his direction OF the
successful British Libyan campaign
year ago Since then, he has
been commanding British forces IN
India and Burma.
Immediate strategy, under the cir
cumstances, will be primarily de-
fensive, with every effort being made
to hold Singapore, the Netherlands
Indies. and other points eastward
toward Australia.
Philippines Under Wavell.
The part which continued efforts
to defend the Philippines may play
in this strategy is not indicated, but
it is understood officially that the
islands fall within the southwest
Pacific zone and consequently are
1See UNITED COMMAND, Pg. A-4)