MacArthur Given Supreme Command

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 93, 21 April 1942, Page 5

MacArthur Given Supreme Command

South-West Pacific Area Constituted

PREPARATIONS FOR OrPENSIVE MELBOURNE, April 20. By agreement among the Governments of Australia, the' United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States, the South-West paeilic area has been constituted effective as from midnight on Saturday, and General MacArthur formally assumes command by virtue of that authority. This announcement was made last night at Allied headquarters in Australia. The following commands, composed of forces assigned to the South-v Vest Pacific area by the respective Governments, have been created: — Allied land forces in the South-West Pacific area: Commander, Sir Thomas Blamev, of tho Australian Army. Allied air forces in the South-Wost Pacific area: Commander, LieutenantGeneral Brett, of the United States Army. Allied naval forces in the South-W est Pacific area: Commander, Vice-Admiral Leary, of the United States Army. United States forces in the Philippines: Commander, Lieutenant-General Wainwright, of the United States Army. ; United States forces in Australia (Service command): Commander, Major-General Julian P. Barnes, of the United States Army. General MacArthur has now assumed the title ‘‘ Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces in tho South-West Pacific Area.” His command embraces the land, air, and naval forces. No deputy commander-in-chief has yet been designated. Generals Blarney and Brett and Vice-Admiral Leary will each have his own staff. The separate commands oi the United States Army in Australia and the Philippines have disappeared in the reorganisation, and the commanders appointed will be subordinate to the new Commander-in-Chief. Within Australia, Major-General Barnes will have a command distinct from General Blarney’s. While General Blarney will control the land forces, Major-General Barnes will lead those who include members of the Quarternmater’s Department and those concerned with port facilities, transport, etc. The organisation work under such headings, it is stated, justifies a special command. As from midnight on Saturday, tho Commonwealth has assigned to the command of General MacArthur all combat sections of the Australian defence forcos. The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, announced this to-day. ‘‘lt is not in tho public interest to disclose the strength of the forces which have passed to General MacArthur’e command,’’ added Mr. Curtin. The Prime Minister said that, on the receipt of advice that General MacArthur’s directive had been approved by President Roosevelt, he (Mr. Curtin) addressed tho following letter to General MacArthur:— ‘‘This is a momentous occasion for the peoples of tho United Nations. You have received a charter as supreme commander not from your Government alone, but also from the Governments of Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. Yon have come to Australia to lead a crusade the result of which means everything to the future of the world end of mankind. At the request of a sovereign State, you are being placed in supreme command of its navy, army and air force so that, with those of your own great nation, they may be welded into a homogeneous force and given that unified direction so vital for the achievement of victory.

‘ ‘ Your directive, among other things, instructs you to prepare to take the offensive. I assure you of every possible support that caa be given you by the Government and people of Australia in making Australia secure as a base for operations, in assisting you to marshal the strength required to wrest the initiative from the enemy, and in joining with you in the ultimate offensive to bring about the totai destruction of the common foe.

‘‘Wo hope and pray that your military efforts may be crowned with great success. ’ *

The Sydney Daily Telegraph’* representative at Allied headquarters eays it was authoritatively stated, after the formation of the Supreme Command for the South-West Pacific had been announced from United States Army Headquarters, that New Zealand was not included in the South-West Pacific Area under the command of General MacArthur.

For military Teasona, he says, the exact geographical scope of General MacArthur's command has not been disclosed. No reason has been given for the exclusion of New Zealand from the command area. General MacArthur’s official announcement merely said that the South-West Pacific area had been ' constituted by agreement among the Governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States.