Chapter 160 Volume 5 Chapter 5 Conference of Quebec: Quadrant

Arrived at Halifax port August 11th I telegraphed the king for Hyde Park Memorandum I presented on August 17th Quadrant meeting opened on August 19th Report of the Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee on Operation Overlord I propose to appoint a U.S. commander on Italy's strategy as the Supreme Commander in Southeast Asia on Japan's main strategy! !Proposal for the British to attack Sumatra August 22nd I call Mr. Attlee The British ask for a share in the main attack on Japan An interesting episode Mountbatten is appointed Commander of South East Asia August 25th I call Mr. Attlee I send Eisenhower, the liaison officer to General MacArthur's headquarters and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, was preparing to attack Italy and had to occupy Naples. I was disturbed by estimates of British reinforcements and I ordered a massive increase in reinforcements.

On August 9th we reached the port of Halifax.The huge ship approached the landing pier. After landing, we took the train directly.Despite all measures of secrecy, large crowds still gathered.My wife and I were sitting in the dining car on the fifty-eighth last train, and a crowd gathered around us to welcome us.Before we set off, I had them sing Maple Leafs and Oh Canada!these two songs.I'm afraid they don't know the Anthem of Britannia, although I'm sure they'll hear it played if we bring a band.After about twenty minutes of handshakes, photos and autographs, we left for Quebec.

Two days later, I called the king: The Prime Minister presents to His Majesty the King August 11, 1943 1. The Chateau de Quebec is pleasant in every way, and, for the purposes of our visit, a very ideal place.Everything was well arranged for President Roosevelt.He will live on the upper floor; there are ramps here and there for his convenience.I am deeply grateful to Your Majesty for this arrangement.I have called the Governor to thank him for his hard work and hospitality. 2. In Canada, especially in Quebec, it is very opportune to hold this meeting, because there is already a feeling of anxiety among many people here, but I believe that this feeling will soon be eliminated.I am scheduled to meet with the Canadian cabinet in the morning and the leaders of the Quebec City government in the afternoon before leaving for Hyde Park.

3. Your Majesty has presumably seen the questions I left for the Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary concerning Mountbatten.I have not yet heard from them, but I am more and more inclined to submit the solution to this problem to President Roosevelt.Commodore Wingate impressed everyone on the voyage.I look forward to a new turn for the campaign in Burma. 4. Your Majesty must have noticed that I have received a letter from Big Bear, and we have become friends who can talk to each other again, or at least have become friends who can complain to each other. I also called President Roosevelt:

former navy personnel to president roosevelt August 11, 1943 I just arrived here after one of the quickest and most comfortable trips, and I was able to keep working while traveling.The Wordens[1] family were eager to visit Hyde Park, and we intended to arrive on the afternoon of the twelfth.We only want to bring the thinnest clothes, shall we?My wife had to stay and rest at the castle, but Mary and I went to Hyde Park the next day.We visited Niagara Falls on the way.The reporter asked me what I thought about this great waterfall, and recorded our conversation as follows: Before you were born, I had seen this great waterfall.I first came here in 1900.Does it look the same as before?Oh, I replied, the principle seems to be the same.The water is still flowing down.We were guests at the home of President Roosevelt until August fourteenth.It was so hot that I got out of bed one night because I couldn't sleep and could hardly breathe.I went outside and sat on a cliff overlooking the Hudson River.I'm here looking at the East whitish.

[1] My code name is Colonel Warden. During a few days in August I prepared a general statement of our entire war policy.Much of it is about the Burmese and Indian Ocean campaigns and their reactions to the war against Japan.These will be described later.This document is dated August 17th.My thoughts were immediately centered on the fact that, as a corollary and further development of our victory in Sicily and the downfall of Mussolini, an attack on Italy should be launched. If Naples is captured by us in the near future (Operation Avalanche plan), we have a first-class port in Italy, and other seaports, such as Brindisi and Taranto, will subsequently fall into our hands.By November, if our line can be stabilized by advancing northwards as far as the Ancona line at Livorno, the Mediterranean landing craft will be useful.We must detach a detachment from the landing fleet to conduct a roundabout movement of amphibious operations like we had seen in the Sicily campaign, while crossing the Adriatic Sea, conducting small raids, and conducting similar samurai operations. Military operations of the Knighthood campaign (capture of Rhodes and other islands in the Aegean Sea).The destruction of the Italian fleet was a factor in enabling us to greatly reduce our naval power in the Mediterranean, just as the use of first-class ports would have substituted for the need for landing craft.Therefore, in late autumn, the landing craft and assault ships can be transferred back to prepare to participate in the Overlord operation plan, and at the same time, a strong detachment can be sent to the Indian battlefield through the Suez Canal.But, I repeat, the maximum number of persons that should be carried in a batch of landing craft is thirty thousand.

Although I have often mentioned that the Po front or the Alpine front are the targets we hope to occupy in Italy this year, so far, no possibility has been seen.If we stop on the Livorno-Ancona line, we can gain a great advantage.In this way we can avoid the danger, pointed out by General Wilson, of overspreading the front once the line at Livorno-Ancona has been crossed.According to estimates I have been given, the enlarged front would require about twenty-two divisions.How many troops are estimated to be needed to defend the Livorno|Ancona line?If we don't get the best goals, we can always get better ones.From such a position we can support by air the rising uprisings brewing in Savoie and the French Alps, in which the French youth may take part, while from the right we can cross the Adriatic to Agitation for patriotic activities in the Balkans.We may have to accept these limitations so that the integrity of the Overlord battle plan is not compromised.

On August 17, President Roosevelt and Harry Hopkins arrived in Quebec, and Aiden and Brendan Bracken flew in from England.While the delegation was assembled, news of further peace movements in Italy reached us.We think that Italy will soon capitulate.So, we held a meeting with this impression.The British Chiefs of Staff and their American counterparts have been working at the castle since 14 August and have drawn up a detailed report on the future strategy of the war in 1943 and 1944. report on the progress of the war.In fact, the quadrant meetings were a series of technical staff meetings, the results of which were reviewed in two meetings by President Roosevelt and myself, with our chiefs of service.

The first plenary meeting was held on August 19th.The highest strategic priority, a necessary condition of Operation Overlord, was given to the Allied Bomber Offensive against Germany.After a long discussion the Overlord plan was concluded on the basis of a joint plan drawn up by General Morgan in London.The Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces then presented the following report: Battle Plan Overlord (1) This campaign was mainly to attack the Axis powers in Europe with the ground forces and air forces of the United States and Britain (the date of the offensive was May 1, 1944).After obtaining enough strait ports, the further object is to seize those areas that are convenient for ground forces and air forces to attack the enemy.After the strong Allied forces stabilized their positions in France, they should immediately plan to attack the heartland of Germany and destroy its military strength.

(2) A balanced ground force and air force should be established for the Overlord plan, and the existing forces in the United Kingdom should be constantly planned and maintained so that they can take advantage of the opportunity at any time to cross the Channel and attack into France. (3) Regarding the allocation and use of existing manpower and material resources between the Overlord Campaign and the Mediterranean Campaign, in view of the current shortage of manpower and material resources, the main purpose should be to ensure the success of the Overlord Operation Plan.The troops required to fight in the Mediterranean theater, except those decided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, will be allocated in accordance with the numbers assigned by the Trident (at the meeting held in Washington in May).

We have agreed to the outlines of General Morgan's plans for the Battle of Overlord and have authorized him to proceed with detailed planning and thorough preparations. These sections sparked some discussion at our meeting.I pointed out that the success of Overlord's war plan depends on the fulfillment of certain conditions concerning power. I stress that although I did not approve of the Bash Operation Plan in 1942, or the Encirclement Operation Plan in 1943, I enthusiastically endorsed the Overlord Operation Plan in 1944.All my previous reasons against fighting across the Channel have now been removed.I think that every effort should be made to increase the force of the initial attack by at least twenty-five per cent.That means finding more landing craft.We are still nine months away from the planned implementation date, during which time we can do a lot of work.Selected beaches are ideal, and it is even better if you also land on the interior beaches of the Cotentin Peninsula.Most importantly, I say: the initial stronghold must be strong. Since the United States had command in Africa, President Roosevelt and I had earlier agreed that the commander of Operation Overlord should be British.To this end, with the concurrence of President Roosevelt, I propose that General Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, fill the office.The reader may recall that General Brooke commanded a corps in the decisive battle on the retreat to Dunkirk, with both Alexander and Montgomery as his second-in-command.As early as 1943 I had communicated this intention to General Brooke.The campaign was to begin with equal British and American forces, but since it was based in Britain, this arrangement seemed reasonable.However, as the months passed in 1943, when the grand offensive began to be defined, it became more and more apparent to me that after the initial phases of the landings had been successfully accomplished by equal forces from both countries, American forces were fighting will have a huge advantage; Therefore, now in Quebec, I have taken it upon myself to propose to the President that an American commander should be appointed to direct the attack on France.The proposal satisfied him, and I am sure it was already on his mind.We therefore agreed that the command of the Overlord campaign plan should rest with an American officer; that command of the Mediterranean should be given to a British commander, and that the date of the actual handover should depend on the progress of the war.In August 1943, I notified General Brooke, whom I had full confidence in, of this change and, at the same time, the reasons for the change.He was deeply disappointed, but bore it with military dignity. As for Italy, the Chiefs of Staff propose that our future campaign should be divided into three lines.First, we should keep Italy out of the war and build airfields near Rome and, if possible, farther north.I stated that it should be clearly understood that I did not make any promises to move forward across the Ancona-Pisa line.Second, we should take Sardinia and Corsica and then put pressure on the Germans in the north of the peninsula to keep them from participating in the fight against Project Overlord.In addition, there were plans for Operation Anvil to prepare the landings near Toulon and Marseilles in southern France, and an advance northward along the Rhone Valley.This plan later caused much controversy.Many proposals were made regarding air support of the Balkan and French partisans, enhanced anti-submarine warfare, and more frequent use of the Azores as a naval and air base. The meeting reviewed the original proposals of the British Chiefs of Staff for the important issues of South East Asia Command.The meeting endorsed the Supreme Commander's plan and also made the following recommendations: (1) The Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has full authority to deal with the strategy of the Southeast Asian battlefield and the control of all British and American manpower and material resources between the Chinese battlefield and the Southeast Asian Command. (2) All questions concerning operations shall be exercised by the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, and all instructions issued to the Supreme Commander must also pass through this institution. On the whole question of Far East strategy, at our first plenum there was a heated debate.In the next few days, the work of the chiefs of staff of the three armed forces will be fully concentrated on this issue.To destroy the Japanese empire on this island, naval power must be used primarily.Our Army cannot go to war without first controlling Japan's seas.How can air weapons be used?The difference of opinion is great.Some close to President Roosevelt advocated a major attack into Chinese territory via Burma.They insisted that Chinese ports and air bases must be used for a heavy and sustained air attack on the Japanese homeland.Despite the political appeal of this idea in the eyes of the Americans, it ignores the following facts: in the jungles of Burma it is impossible to deploy large armies, and the vast majority of these troops must be raised by the British; There was an extremely powerful Japanese army in the territory, and they carried out operations along the lines of communication in the interior; above all, the increasingly spread American naval power could make only a small contribution to this offensive operation. Alternatively, we could attack directly by sea the Japanese island fortresses in the central and southern Pacific.This task is mainly undertaken by the navy and coastal air force.Such an assault would first target the Philippines because it is a place that attracts the attention of all Americans.Once the Philippines fell back into American hands, Japan would be cut off from many of her main sources of supply, and her defensive forces on the outlying islands of the Dutch East Indies would be cut off without hope of rescue .They must eventually be wiped out gradually without our having to fight a costly battle. With the Philippines as a base, the encirclement of the Japanese mainland can begin.It may be necessary to establish new bases on the coast of China, Formosa, and the small islands to the south of Japan, but only after these bases are established can a large-scale attack on Japan be launched.The bold vision of this plan is based on the strong US naval power, so it has greater appeal.Great naval power is required, but at the final stage, land forces are needed.At that time, Hitler will be defeated, and the main forces of Britain and the United States can be used to storm Japan. 【1】The original text is Formosa, the same below.translator On this subject, I am eager to present my views at the last few meetings of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces.British operational planners proposed extending the operations of General Wingate's forces into northern Burma this winter.In my opinion, to go along with this operation, the tip of Sumatra should be captured.I said at the meeting that I was convinced that the attack on Sumatra was a huge strategic attack that should have been carried out in 1944.This battle, known as the Long Cannon, will become a torch battle in the Indian Ocean.I don't think it's beyond our reach.We should attack and hold a point which the Japanese would have to attack if they were to check the severe pressure on their ships from our air operations from Sumatra.President Roosevelt seemed to think that such a military operation would be a departure from the main direction of our attack on Japan.I pointed out that the other alternative would be to waste a whole year, gaining nothing but the minor port of Achab[1], and the right to slog in the swamps and jungles of Burma in the future, and that I The issue of recovering Achab Port is also very doubtful.I stress the value of the plan for the attack on Sumatra, which I liken, in its likely decisive consequences, to the attack on the Dardanelles in 1915.The idea of ​​keeping all our amphibious forces tied up in the Indian Ocean during 1943-1944 in order to recover Port Achab seems to me incorrect. 【1】Achabu Port, that is, Rakhine.translator The next day, I wrote a memo: Prime Minister to General Ismay, Transfer to the Chiefs of Staff Committee August 20, 1943 We have not yet reached a consensus among us as to the policy to be adopted with regard to the Achab port, the long artillery plan, etc.As far as I can see, the whole issue is poorly researched.I'm still working on it myself.It is impossible to make any decisions with the Americans on this issue at this moment.I would like the Chiefs of Staff to be careful not to create a situation in which I would have to flatly disclaim any responsibility for decisions made by their standards.If that happens, then, when we return home, we will have to refer the whole matter to the War Cabinet again.I am now absolutely standing by my position at the last meeting and our position that we believe that an offensive up the Irrawaddy via Rangoon to Mandalay and areas north of Mandalay would be extremely harmful to us.It would be futile and foolish to take Achab without such a campaign. I expect the situation next year to be such that we have won the Long Artillery plan, Wingate and the Chinese have engaged in Yunnan, communications in Upper Burma have been After obtaining a clear enemy reaction, we can freely choose the location of the next amphibious warfare. Two days later, I sent the following telegram to China: Prime Minister (in Quebec) to Deputy Prime Minister August 22, 1943 President Roosevelt and General Marshall were very concerned about Mountbatten's appointment, and the American government would no doubt enthusiastically agree to it.Our chiefs of staff of all armed forces agreed.In the present dreary and stagnant state of affairs in the Indian field, there can be no doubt that a figure of youth and vitality is needed. I am convinced that it is my duty to formally propose and report Mountbatten's name to the king.Working together, Mountbatten and Wingate have added a great deal of brilliance to the plans for the future.It is imperative that an announcement will be made within a few days of this meeting.I hope that my colleagues will feel that this is the best course of action. 2. We have also satisfactorily resolved the difficulties concerning Southeast Asia Command.The general strategic plan and the main distribution of forces and supplies will be decided by the Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff before being submitted to the respective governments for approval.But the whole command of the operations is vested in the British Chiefs of Staff under His Majesty's Government, and all orders pass through them. 3. We have not yet been able to make a final decision on the issue of when the implementation of the plan for fighting in northern Burma will be postponed due to the impact of the flood; we have not yet given sufficient detailed research on the first stage of the long artillery operation plan , so that it could not be decided whether it should be given priority in the 1944 amphibious operations.We still need at least a month to conduct in-depth research.However, all discussions are friendly.The Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces are no doubt pleased with the active interest we have shown in the 1944 war plan against Japan.Song Ziwen will arrive here on Monday, but in principle, what can be told to him will never exceed the telegram I am about to send. 4. General Marshall has agreed that I send a British liaison officer of general rank to serve as my representative on General MacArthur's staff.This will give us a much more nuanced understanding of what happened on that battlefield than we have had in the past.I discussed the matter with Dr. Evart when he was in London.He said he was all for it; and now I am calling Curtin to point out that this will bring us more closely into the war in the Pacific. 5. Eden and Hull are engaged in a lengthy discussion.Hull still stubbornly refused to use the word recognition in relation to the French National Liberation Committee.We therefore agreed that, after informing Russia and other interested parties, they would publish their papers, we would publish ours, and Canada would publish Canada's. Aiden is working on it.I have told President Roosevelt very frankly that they will be condemned by public opinion.But he said he preferred to keep his hand in case de Gaulle's machinations should be dealt with in an emergency.Our opinion is of course different, because according to our formula we did not give the French National Liberation Committee any more assistance than we gave to de Gaulle when he was isolated and not under the control of others. There was a heated debate in the General Staff Council about our responsibility for the main attack on Japan, and an interesting incident arose.Behind either side of the Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee there was a large group of staff officers (twelve to twenty persons), a restless audience, silent and with shining eyes.Soon, the chairman said: I think it is best not to have our staff present when we discuss this issue.As a result, the group of senior staff immediately retreated to a reception room in an orderly manner.The dispute was resolved in a timely manner, as usual.Mountbatten participated in the British Chiefs of Staff Committee as the head of the joint operations department. At this time, he took the opportunity to ask the chairman if he could test the special mixed ice invented by his scientists in public.This mixed ice is called Pikelet [1].After getting permission, one of his staff officers wheeled in two cubes of ice about three feet high on a large food cart, one regular ice and the other packritt.He invited the strongest man present to chop each piece of ice in half with a special machete he had brought.All the people present voted General Arnold as the most physically powerful man.Arnold took off his shirt, rolled up his shirt sleeves, swung his machete, and split the ordinary ice.He turned back, smiled, and folded his hands, then picked up the machete again, and walked to the patch.He swung the machete; and as he struck he dropped the knife with a sudden cry of pain, for Packritt was undamaged and his elbows ached from the shock. 【1】A special substance used in the design of Habacak, named after the inventor Mr. Parker.See page 69 of this volume. The performance climaxes when Mountbatten draws a pistol from his pocket, ready to use it to demonstrate Packritt's strength against guns.He shoots at ordinary ice first, and the ice is shattered.He then fired at Packet, a block of ice so hard that the bullet bounced back, narrowly missing Air Marshal Porter. The officers waiting outside were already panicked when they heard the slashing and General Arnold's cry of pain, and they were even more frightened when they heard the gunshots again.One of the officers shouted, "My God!"They are shooting now! However, in the war years, people are in the company of death every day. Who doesn't want to smile when they get the chance?Here is an example. The point of contention between the British and American Chiefs of Staff was actually the British claim that, from the time of Germany's defeat, she should have a full and just place in the war against Japan.It demanded a share of the airfields, a portion of the bases for the Royal Navy, and that the divisions it transferred to the Far East after the task of destroying Hitler should be properly assigned.The United States finally backed down.I have urged my friends on the Chiefs of Staff Committee to fight on this issue, not by force, but by the utmost, because at this stage of the war, I fear most, the American critics They will say: Britain has taken everything she can from us, we helped her defeat Hitler, and now she is out of the war with Japan, leaving us in danger.At the Quebec meeting, however, that impression was virtually dispelled. On the evening of August 23, we held a second plenary meeting to discuss the draft final report of the Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.This document repeatedly stated several key points raised in the first report and revised after our discussion. In addition, it listed in detail the proposals for the arrangement of the Far East campaign.No resolution was reached in the report as to the actual combat operations to be undertaken, but it was decided that the main effort should be devoted to offensive operations aimed at establishing land lines of communication with China and at the same time improving and defending air line.In the overall strategic concept of the war against Japan, the plan was to prepare to defeat Japan within twelve months of the collapse of Germany.I said I was glad to see us aiming for this instead of planning on the basis of a long war of attrition. The general principle of establishing a separate Southeast Asian Command that I proposed to President Roosevelt before the meeting was finally accepted.I said that I was eager to make a public statement about the establishment of this institution as soon as possible.This would help to show that most of the discussion at the Quadrant was about the war against Japan, and that there would be good reason why Russia was not included in the discussion.Everyone who attended the meeting generally agreed that we should do this. I now inform the Governor-General of India of the resolution regarding the establishment of the Southeast Asia Command and the appointment of Mountbatten as Supreme Commander. Prime Minister to Governor General of India August 24, 1943 We have now formed the Southeast Asian Command, which is not under the same command as the Indian Command.I had previously foreshadowed this problem when I appointed Field Marshal Wavell as Governor.There would be great advantage in having a combined command under a British commander, similar in nature to that in North Africa. In the past few weeks, we have had some discussions with the United States on the selection of the commander.After much deliberation, I have decided to propose that Lord Louis Mountbatten, now Commander of Combined Operations, fill this extremely important post.Mountbatten was unique in that he was familiar with the work of the three armed forces, as well as amphibious operations.He served on the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces for nearly a year and a half, so he knew the big picture of our war from the Central Department.I think this is very important because of the extremely complex nature of the land and sea fronts in Southeast Asia.Mountbatten was an excellent organizer as well as a man of energy and courage.His appointment has been wholeheartedly welcomed by President Roosevelt and the Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces, and Song Ziwen, on behalf of Generalissimo Jiang, also readily agreed.I therefore, with the consent of the Cabinet, have reported the matter to the King in accordance with the necessary formalities, and at the same time I am sending you this telegram for your information, because it is important that the appointment should be announced at the present meeting, which will be tomorrow. , August 25. The next day, I called my colleagues in China, and the content was as follows: Prime Minister's Telegram to Deputy Prime Minister and War Cabinet August 25, 1943 Everything is going well here.We have settled the difficult problems of the past, namely the South East Asian Command, the Alloy Tubes, and the recognition of the French National Liberation Committee.Regarding the last question, when we were negotiating with Hull, we had a very unpleasant quarrel, and he even walked away in the end, especially when the quarrel with the foreign minister who bore the brunt was even more rigid.President Roosevelt and I applaud an ingenious report drawn up by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United Kingdom and the United States expressing the agreement reached by both sides.All differences of opinion have been ironed out, only the question of the exact form of our amphibious operations in the Bay of Bengal remains to be further studied in the future. However, I think it will be sorting itself out like I hope.There is no doubt that Mackenzie King and the Canadian government are happy and feel thoroughly valued. 2. The fly in the ointment at present is that the attitude of Soviet Russia is becoming more and more rude.Sorry you have seen Stalin's call about the Italian proposal.He had absolutely no reason to blame us, for we had done nothing but hand over to the Italian representative a stern order for unconditional surrender, which the Soviet government also warmly endorsed, and we had immediately informed him of all the problems. 3. President Roosevelt was outraged by the tone of the cable.He instructed the relevant personnel to inform the new Soviet charge d'affaires that he had gone to the country and would not be able to return for a while.Stalin, of course, willfully ignored our proposal that we would be willing to make another long and dangerous trip in order to bring about the Tri-Power Conference.In spite of all this, I do not think that his bad temper and disrespectful manner indicate that he is ready to conclude a separate peace with Germany, since the hatred itself between the two peoples has now become a line of defense.It is frustrating that not much progress has been made in dealing with these men, but I am sure that my colleagues will not see any impatience or sincerity in myself or in our entire administration. 4. I feel a little tired due to the extremely heavy work in the meeting and the many difficult issues that are pressing on us.I hope that my colleagues will be pleased to allow me to spend two or three days at a mountain camp before making a radio address on Sunday and heading to Washington.I am also planning to give a radio address on September 3rd when I arrive at Harvard to accept my degree, and then return immediately.Unless some unexpected development, in Italy or elsewhere, makes it necessary for me and President Roosevelt to consult together, I do not intend to prolong my stay.In any event, I will be back in time for Parliament to sit.The Foreign Secretary will be flying home on Saturday and he sent Cadogan to accompany me to Washington. I decided to send two liaison officers abroad, one to MacArthur headquarters and one to Chiang Kai-shek.On my return, I summoned Generals Ramsden and Carton de Ville to Checkers and offered their appointments, and they were very pleased.Ramsden was one of our finest and most able officers. He restored the reputation of our armored vehicles in the first encounter with the enemy at the very beginning of the war.He soon won the trust of General MacArthur and became a highly regarded liaison officer.He died in January 1945.While bombing Lingayen Gulf, a Japanese suicide plane attacks the battleship USS New Mexico.The British commanders, Admiral Fraser and General Ramsden, were standing on the bridge at the time.The former walked to the other end of the bridge entirely by accident in order to observe better.A minute later, the suicide plane hit the bridge.Everyone on Ramsden's end was killed.His death is a loss to the country and me personally. Now we must return to the Italian battlefields.Contrary to our earlier hopes, most of the German forces successfully retreated across the Strait of Messina.On August 10, General Eisenhower and his commanders held a meeting to choose among proposals for advancing the war into Italian territory. He had to take special account of the enemy's disposition at that time.The Germans had sixteen divisions in Italy, eight of them in the north under Rommel, two near Rome, and six further south under Kesselring.These formidable forces were probably reinforced by twenty other German divisions withdrawn from the Russian front to be rearmed in France.For a considerable period of time the forces which we could muster could never match those which the Germans could throw into battle, but Great Britain and the United States had mastered the seas and the air, and had taken the initiative.Now everyone is bent on launching an attack on Italy, which is a bold military operation.我們希望攻佔那不勒斯和塔蘭托，這兩個港口的設備合在一起，與我們必須使用的兵力的規模是相稱的。盡早地攻佔飛機場是我們的一個主要目標。羅馬附近的飛機場，現在還不在我們力所能及的範圍之內，但是在福賈的一些重要機場卻適於重轟炸機使用，同時，我們的戰術空軍又在意大利的踵形地區和薩勒諾附近的蒙特科維諾，尋找其他機場。 艾森豪威爾將軍決定在九月初渡過墨西拿海峽發動進攻，同時在卡拉布里亞海岸進行一些輔助性的襲擊。這是一個序幕戰。接著便派一個英國軍和一個美國軍在薩勒諾灣的良好海灘進行登陸，去攻佔那不勒斯（雪崩作戰計劃）。 從我們所佔領的西西里島飛機場起飛的戰鬥機，它們所能掩護的區域，以薩勒諾灣一帶為極限。在登陸以後，盟軍將盡快地向北推進，去攻佔那不勒斯。 英美聯合參謀長委員會建議羅斯福總統和我接受這個計劃，同時批准下一次的軍事行動，即攻佔撒丁島和科西嘉島。 我們立即表示同意；事實上，這正是我希望實現並努力爭取的目標。後來，他們又提議派遣一個空運師去攻佔羅馬南面的一些飛機場。這個提議，我們也接受了。後來這一計劃取消了，其具體情況，將在以後的一章中敘述。 我們就這樣作出了我認為是極其滿意的決定，一切工作都在順利進行。但在快到八月底的時候，一個英國軍官從艾森豪威爾將軍的總部到達魁北克，並帶來了一個非常令人不安的消息。他說，到了十二月一日，將有六個師渡過墨西拿海峽並越過卡拉布里亞，另外六個師將在薩勒諾登陸。對於我們的人力與物力，竟然作出了這樣令人驚訝的過低的估價，我立即表示抗議。 Prime Minister to General Alexander 一九四三年八月二十六日 懷特利將軍已經到達這裡，他告訴我們關於實行灣城和雪崩【１】兩個作戰計劃的日期和規模。這個消息引起了我的極大的關切，我希望你能使我放心。假定我們的登陸獲得成功，並且在以後的戰鬥中不致失敗，我不明白，為什麼需要兩個半月或更多的時間才能上岸，而且我們在雪崩戰役中，在獲得一個可用的港口和橋頭堡以後，又為什麼必須使所有參加灣城作戰計劃的各個師，都經由卡拉布里亞送往前方，至少其中的一些師是應由海路送去的。 【１】灣城作戰計劃是渡過墨西拿海峽的進攻。雪崩作戰計劃是對那不勒斯（薩勒諾）的攻擊。 二‧而且按照計劃，到十二月一日，才在意大利本土集結十二個師，據我看，這樣的速度將招致最嚴重的危險。第一，無法提供有效的援助，使羅馬的意大利人反抗德國人，這樣，就會加深和延長這種危險，即一個親德的吉斯林式的政府將會成立，或者一種極端混亂的無政府狀態將接踵而至。第二，如果你們集結軍隊的速度，到十二月一日不能超過十二個師，而且這些師也只是在那不勒斯地區，那麼你們將使用什麼辦法，來制止德國人在同一時期內派來更多的部隊對付它們呢？ 據說目前德軍在意大利半島有十六個師。我本人不能確信這些師事實上都是完整的師。相反地，就某些實例來說，它們很可能是領導機構和總部。但是，如果羅馬的解放以及因此可能在政治和軍事方面獲得的重大利益，從現在起被延遲三個月以上才能實現，那麼沒有人能夠預料將引起怎樣的後果。 三‧我在離開美國前，曾迫不及待地想聽到你的消息。因為羅斯福總統也由於上述日期而深感不安；如果這確是一個正在執行的時間表，那麼，我們在磋商時，寧可先作最壞的打算，然而，我仍希望你會撥開這些雲霧。 我一回國，立即著手處理後勤方面的缺陷。我在八月二日曾要求採取各種措施，來改編我們的裝甲師，此事由布魯克將軍辦理，現在已經產生了效果。懷特利將軍所傳達的悲觀估計，不久也被糾正了。英國第一裝甲師又重新裝備起來，成為一支精銳的戰鬥部隊。兩個波蘭師、一個新西蘭師和第四英印師，已經具有最大限度的戰鬥力，並被運往意大利。美國工程師的本領確實驚人。他們把那不勒斯港從一片廢墟改變成一個頭等的港口。到了十月初，亞歷山大將軍的軍隊增加了十萬人。如果這個步驟沒有完成，一場災難可能已經輕易地發生，因為德國強大的軍隊正在源源開來。