page_title: Civil Affairs Staging Area
section_title: The China-Burma-India Theater
hierarchical_section_title: Civil Affairs Staging Area / Background of Civil Affairs planning for the Far East / The China-Burma-India Theater
caption_attribution_description: English: Aerial view of barracks occupied by the Civil Affairs Staging Area (CASA) at the Presidio of Monterey during the Spring of 1945.
context_page_description: The Civil Affairs Staging Area also known as the Civil Affairs Holding and Staging Area was a combined U.S. Army, U.S Navy military formation authorized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on June 18, 1944, during World War Two for military government theater planning, training and provision of military government personnel to areas of the Far East liberated from the Empire of Japan, including East China, Formosa and Korea. CASA had two divisions: The Operations and Training Division focused on language instruction and execution of civil affairs duties at a local level. These duties varied greatly and, as an example, included mass feeding of civilians, camp sanitation, provision of medical supplies, containment of epidemic diseases, labor relations and rodent control. The Theatre Planning & Research Division developed plans for military government at a national level such as control of Japan's economic institutions, control of Japan's education system and methods for increasing the overall supply of food throughout, not only Japan, but also previously occupied areas like East China.
context_section_description: Shortly after the establishment of a Civil Affairs Division in the War Department in March 1943, a circular letter was sent to the commanding generals of all theaters offering the services of the Civil Affairs Division and of trained Civil Affairs officers. In response to a request from the Commanding General, United States Army Forces, China Burma India Theatre, Colonel William A. Boekel and Colonel (then Lt. Colonel) Mitchell Jenkins were ordered to New Delhi, where they arrived 4 May and 14 May respectively. Their first month was spent familiarizing themselves with the general situation in the countries of Southeast Asia. The American Civil Affairs officers received the distinct impression that the British officers regarded Burma and other British territory as definitely a British Civil Affairs area, with which the Americans should have no concern. As a result of policy conferences, this attitude was translated into a formal statement of basic policy, approved by American and British headquarters. Once established, this policy left American Civil Affairs officers no function except that of liaison with British agencie Colonel Boekel and Lt. Colonel Jenkins continued their studies of the countries of Southeast Asia, as well as the question of United States Civil Affairs activities in Japan proper, China, Korea and Manchukuo.  Their work resulted in the formulation of certain tentative plans for the military government of Japan, and for the procurement, training and organization of Civil Affairs officers for the Far East. Their conclusions were embodied in a series of letters, of 26 August, 19 October, and 6 November 1943. The recommendations contained in these letters were approved by the Commanding General, China Burma India Theater, and transmitted by him to the War Department. In the preparation of the last two letters, assistance was given by Mr. John Davies, Political Adviser to Lieutenant General Joseph W. Stillwell, and by Mr. Monroe Kail, member of the American Mission in New Delhi. Both of these gentlemen concurred fully with the plans and recommendations contained in the letters.
caption: Aerial view of barracks occupied by soldiers and sailors of the Civil Affairs Staging Area (CASA) at the Presidio of Monterey during the Spring of 1945.
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