It will be evident from the Coral Sea, Midway and Solomon Islands
naval engagements that operations in the Pacific Ocean are leading
to a naval clash which may well decide the course of the conflict
in this theatre.

2. I would refer to the views of the United Kingdom Chiefs of
Staff in Dominions Office cablegram No. 362 of 6th April [2] that,
when the moment is opportune, the naval forces of the United
Nations should take the strategic offensive in the Pacific. It
would be appreciated if a statement could be furnished giving the
present views of the Chiefs of Staff on the conditions outlined by
them in paragraph 4 as necessary for fulfilment before the
concentration of superior naval forces in the Pacific Ocean can be
undertaken. [3]

3. It would appear to be inevitable from the operations in the
Solomon Islands and the increased activity in New Guinea [4] that
the Japanese will offer substantial resistance to any efforts to
push them back to their bases in the mandated islands. We must
therefore be in a position to bring to bear at the point of
contact forces superior in strength to those of the enemy,
otherwise we shall be laying ourselves open to grave risks.

4. It is therefore desired to know what are the present prospects
and plans for the concentration of a superior naval force in the
Pacific, which presumably could only be done by the transfer of
part of the Eastern fleet to that region. [5]

CURTIN