(c) crown copyright
Catalogue Reference:CAB/65/19/1
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"£HIS DOCUMENT IB T H E PROPERTY OF H I S BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
Printed
for the War Cabinet.
July 1941.
SECRET.
Copy N o .
W . M . (41)
65th Conclusions.
TO B E K E P T
UNDER
LOCK
AND KEY.
I t is r e q u e s t e d t h a t special care, m a y be t a k e n to
e n s u r e the secrecy of this d o c u m e n t .
W A R C A B I N E T 65 (41).
CONCLUSIONS
of a Meeting of the War Cabinet held at 10 Downing
S.W. 1, on Friday, July 4, 1941, at 1 0 A.M.
Present:
T h e R i g h t H o n . C . R . A T T L E E , M . P . , L o r d P r i v y Seal (in the
Street,
Chair).
The Right Hon. Sir JOHN ANDEESON,
M . P . , L o r d P r e s i d e n t of t h e Council.
The Right Hon. ANTHONY EDEN, M.P., S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for F o r e i g n Affairs. T h e R i g h t H o n . A. GREENWOOD, M . P . ,
Minister without Portfolio.
T h e R i g h t H o n . L O R D BEAVERBROOK, M i n i s t e r of S u p p l y . The Right Hon. Sir KINGSLEY WOOD,
M . P . , C h a n c e l l o r of t h e E x c h e q u e r .
T h e following w e r e also p r e s e n t :
The
Right
Hon.
P.
FRASER,
M.P.,
P r i m e M i n i s t e r of N e w Z e a l a n d .
T h e R i g h t Hon. LORD MOYNE, Secre-
t a r y of S t a t e for t h e Colonies.
The
Right
SINCLAIR,
Hon.
Bt.,
Sir
M.P.,
ARCHIBALD
Secretary
The R i g h t H o n . A . V. ALEXANDER,
M . P . , F i r s t L o r d of t h e A d m i r a l t y .
T h e R i g h t H o n . A . D U F F COOPER, M . P . ,
M i n i s t e r of I n f o r m a t i o n .
of
State for A i r .
The Right
Minister
(Item 3).
Hon. H U G H
of
DALTON,
Economic
M.P.,
The
Warfare
Hon.
Sir
ALEXANDER
CADOGAN,
P e r m a n e n t U n d e r - S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e
for F o r e i g n Affairs.
A d m i r a l - of t h e F l e e t S i r D U D L E Y G e n e r a l S i r J O H N D I L L , Chief of
P O U N D , F i r s t S e a L o r d a n d Chief of
I m p e r i a l G e n e r a l Staff.
N a v a l Staff.
A i r Chief M a r s h a l S i r CHARLES F . A .
P O R T A L , C h i e f of t h e A i r Staff.
Secretariat.
Sir EDWARD BRIDGES.
Major-General Sir HASTINGS ISMAY.
Mr. W. D . WILKINSON.
M r . L. F. B U R G I S .
[22686] the
44
W A R C A B I N E T 65
(41).
"
O.
CONTENTS.
Minute
No.
Subject.
1.
T h e Foreign and Military Situations
Air Operations.
Naval Operations:
Shipping losses.
Military Operations:
Syria
Libya.
U.S.S.R.
2.
F o r e i g n Affairs
3.
U.S.S.R
Denial of oil to the enemy.
4.
H o m e Defence
Preparedness against Invasion.
5.
Production
....
Arrangements for forthcoming debate.
....
Page
117
....
....
117
117
....
....
118
118
117 The Foreign
and Military
Situations.
(Previous
Bef erence:
W.M. (41) 64th
Conclusions,
Minute 1.)
W . M . 65 ( 4 1 ) .
1. The Chiefs
of Staff gave t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n
a m p l i f i c a t i o n of C a b i n e t W a r R o o m R e c o r d s Nos. 6 6 7 - 6 6 9 :—
S u m m a r y of a i r c r a f t losses since t h e 3 0 t h J u n e : —
Home
Air Operations.
in
Theatre—
Enemy— 42 destroyed.
16 p r o b a b l e .
23 damaged.
Our
Own—
16 F i g h t e r s . 27 B o m b e r s . 4 Coastal Command. Overseas
Theatres—
Enemy— 32 d e s t r o y e d (20 on t h e g r o u n d ) .
8 probable.
22 d a m a g e d .
Our
Own—
6 destroyed.
Naval
Operations.
D u r i n g t h e l a s t t w o d a y s we h a d m a d e successful r a i d s on
s h i p p i n g a t T r i p o l i , d u r i n g w h i c h five enemy vessels h a d been h i t .
D u r i n g the l a s t t h r e e d a y s one s h i p of a b o u t 1,200 tons h a d
been s u n k by a i r c r a f t a n d a b o u t 17,000 t o n s of s h i p p i n g h a d been
Shipping Losses,
damaged.
Military
Operations.
Syria.
P r o g r e s s c o n t i n u e d t o be slow. A t e l e g r a m h a d been sent to t h e
C o m m a n d e r - i n - C h i e f , M i d d l e E a s t , u r g i n g t h e i m p o r t a n c e of a
q u i c k decision,
T h e r e were i n d i c a t i o n s t h a t f u r t h e r r e i n f o r c e m e n t s h a d
r e a c h e d t h e enemy, b u t it w a s believed t h a t t h e s e consisted of
I t a l i a n t r o o p s only.
So f a r , we h a d p r a c t i c a l l y no i n f o r m a t i o n beyond w h a t h a d
been p u b l i s h e d i n t h e c o m m u n i q u e s . T h e R u s s i a n s d i d n o t seem to
h a v e lost confidence, a n d t h e i r l a t e s t t y p e of fighter h a d been d o i n g
well. S i x t e e n G e r m a n a r m o u r e d divisions h a d so f a r been used
a g a i n s t t h e R u s s i a n s . T h e m a i n G e r m a n t h r u s t w a s still a s t r i d e
the M i n s k - S m o l e n s k R a i l w a y t o w a r d s Moscow.
Libya.
II.S.S.E.
T h e W a r C a b i n e t took note Of these s t a t e m e n t s .
Foreign Affairs.
(Previous
Reference':.
W.M. (41) 64th
Conclusions,
Minute 5.)
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (41) 63rd
Conclusions,
Minute 2.)
2.
The
Foreign
Secretary
gave t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n :—
Turkey.
T h e r e w a s r e a s o n to believe t h a t t h e T u r k i s h G o v e r n m e n t
s t i l l i n t e n d e d to base t h e i r f o r e i g n policy on t h e A n g l o - T u r k i s h
Agreement.
Japan.
T h e r e w a s n o r e l i a b l e i n d i c a t i o n of J a p a n ' s f u t u r e policy.
U.S.S.R.
3
T h e W a r C a b i n e t h a d before t h e m a M e m o r a n d u m by t h e
Denial of oil to M i n i s t e r of Economic W a r f a r e ( W . P . (41) 145) p r o p o s i n g t h a t
the enemy
S i r Stafford C r i p p s s h o u l d be a u t h o r i s e d t o d i s c u s s f o r t h w i t h w i t h
t h e R u s s i a n s t h e best m e t h o d of d e n y i n g R u s s i a ' s oil r e s o u r c e s to
t h e enemy a n d t o r e p o r t w h a t offer, i n h i s j u d g m e n t , should b e m a d e
to the Soviet G o v e r n m e n t .
The War
Cabinet-
W h i l e a g r e e i n g w i t h t h e i m p o r t a n c e of t h i s m a t t e r ,
decided t h a t i t would be p r e f e r a b l e first to i n v i t e
Sir Stafford C r i p p s ' s v i e w s a s t o h o w t h i s m a t t e r should
be h a n d l e d ; a n d i n v i t e d t h e F o r e i g n S e c r e t a r y , in consul­
t a t i o n w i t h t h e M i n i s t e r of Economic W a r f a r e , t o
t e l e g r a p h t o S i r Stafford C r i p p s accordingly. /
Home Defence.
Preparedness
against
Invasion.
4. The Lord Privy Seal i n f o r m e d t h e W a r C a b i n e t t h a t t h e
P r i m e M i n i s t e r h a d decided t h a t i n s t r u c t i o n s s h o u l d be i s s u e d
that—
A l l our defences w e r e to b e b r o u g h t to t h e v e r y
s t a t e of a n t i - i n v a s i o n efficiency by t h e 1st September.
m e a n t i m e , of course, no vigilance should be r e l a x e d .
highest
I n the
I n s t r u c t i o n s h a d been issued i n t h i s sense by t h e C h i e f s of Staff
to t h e i r Commanders-in-Chief, a n d t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r a s k e d t h a t
t h i s d i r e c t i o n s h o u l d also be b r o u g h t t o t h e notice of a l l C i v i l
Departments.
T h e L o r d P r i v y Seal a d d e d t h a t h e u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e P r i m e
M i n i s t e r proposed t o issue a s u i t a b l e w a r n i n g to t h e p u b l i c b e f o r e
long.
The War C a b i n e t I n v i t e d all M i n i s t e r s to b r i n g t h i s i n s t r u c t i o n t o t h e n o t i c e
of those concerned in t h e i r D e p a r t m e n t s .
I n a short discussion i t w a s e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h i s d i r e c t i v e w a s
n o t i n t e n d e d t o p r e v e n t t h e d e s p a t c h of a n y necessary r e i n f o r c e ­
m e n t s t o the M i d d l e E a s t .
Production.
Arrangements
for forthcoming
Debate.
5. The Lord Privy Seal s a i d t h a t i t w a s u n d e s i r a b l e t h a t t h i s
D e b a t e (which w o u l d t a k e place o n t h e 2 n d a n d 3 r d s i t t i n g d a y s
i n the following week) should e x t e n d over a very w i d e r a n g e of
subjects. I t w a s p r o p o s e d t h a t i t should cover m a t t e r s a r i s i n g o n
t h e V o t e s of t h e M i n i s t r y of S u p p l y a n d the M i n i s t r y of A i r c r a f t
P r o d u c t i o n , a n d t h a t t h e t w o M i n i s t e r s should a r r a n g e o n w h i c h
of t h e two d a y s t h e M i n i s t e r of A i r c r a f t P r o d u c t i o n a n d t h e
P a r l i a m e n t a r y S e c r e t a r y of t h e M i n i s t r y of S u p p l y s h o u l d s p e a k .
Q u e s t i o n s affecting m a n - p o w e r m i g h t well be r a i s e d , a n d a
M i n i s t e r i a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r s h o u l d . a l s o b e
available.
The War C a b i n e t E x p r e s s e d g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t w i t h these s u g g e s t i o n s .
Great
George Street, S. W. 1, July 4, 1941. 9
COPY.
4
(Cypher).
S P E C I A L ARFAB AND WAR CABINET
To:
Prom
DISTRIBUTION.
SOVIET U N I O N .
M I N I S T R Y OF ECONOMIC WARFARE
No.
1 4 3 ARFAR MOSSY.
8th
July,
1941.
D.
2.20 p.m.
To
9th
MOSCOW.
July,
1941.
SECRET.
So s o o n a s y o u c a n g i v e u s some i n d i c a t i o n o f a t t i t u d e
of Soviet Government t o d e s t r u c t i o n of Caucasus o i l - f i e l d s
in
c a s e o f n e c e s s i t y i n o r d e r t o d e n y o i l t o t h e e n e m y , we a r e
p r e p a r e d , i f you recommend i t , t o examine what o f f e r m i g h t
h e made t o S o v i e t Government a s r e g a r d s o u r h e a r i n g p a r t
of the losses e n t a i l e d .
2.
You w i l l r e c o l l e c t
d i s c u s s e d w i t h you i n London
best to tackle the matter not
by d e v i s i n g means of h e l p i n g
consequent deficiencies both
machinery destroyed.
t h a t when t h i s s u b j e c t was
i t was a g r e e d t h a t i t would be
by o f f e r i n g a money payment b u t
Soviet Government t o r e p l a c e
i n home s u p p l i e s o f o i l a n d i n
3.
We s h o u l d t h e r e f o r e b e g l a d a f t e r q u e s t i o n o f
d e s t r u c t i o n of o i l - f i e l d s has been r a i s e d with S o v i e t Government
t o l e a r n (a) what a r e i n your view t h e p r o s p e c t s of S o v i e t
authorities taking effective action for the destruction of
the o i l - f i e l d s ;
(b) whether you t h i n k o f f e r on l i n e s i n d i c a t e d
i n p a r a g r a p h 2 i s l i k e l y to be ( i ) n e c e s s a r y ( i i )
effective;
( c ) n a t u r e a n d s c o p e o f o f f e r w h i c h would h a v e t o be made i n
order to produce necessary effect.
4.
You s h o u l d n o t a t t h i s s t a g e make a n y p r o p o s a l s o n
b e h a l f of His M a j e s t y ' s Government t o S o v i e t Government, b u t ,
i f i t i s c l e a r t h a t p r o s p e c t s of e f f e c t i v e s t e p s b e i n g t a k e n
a r e i n f a c t d e p e n d e n t o n some s u c h i n d u c e m e n t , y o u m a y , i n
order to o b t a i n s u f f i c i e n t i n d i c a t i o n s of Soviet views to enable
you to p r o v i d e us with information r e q u e s t e d above, say t o
S o v i e t a u t h o r i t i e s t h a t , w h i l e you c a n n o t say how m a t t e r would
be viewed by H i s M a j e s t y ' s Government, y o u r a r e p r e p a r e d t o
e n q u i r e w h e t h e r t h e r e i s any p r o s p e c t of t h e i r b e i n g r e a d y t o
a s s i s t i n making good p a r t of the l o s s e s e n t a i l e d .
^Copies sent t o Lord Hankey, S i r E. Grigg, Captain
M r . V i l l i e r s , Mr. N i c h o l s o n a n d Mr. F r a s e r a /
Berkely,