THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT Circulated for Consideration by the Chiefs of Staff It is issued The circulation of this paper has been strictly limited. for the personal use of .......................................... Copy No. 27 TOP SECRET SPECIAL CIRCULATION CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE JOINT PLANNING STAFF ATTACK AT SOURCE TO REDUCE THE THREAT TO SEA COMMUNICATIONS IN A WAR BEGINNING IN DECEMBER 1954 REPORT BY THE JOINT PLANNING STAFF 1. As instructed* we have examined the means whereby the threat to sea communications in the Atlantic, the English Channel and the North Sea might be reduced by attack at source, taking into account the existing papers on this subject. † We have consulted the J.I.C. and J.I.B., and additionally the D.R.P.S. through whom the information on air-burst and water-burst atomic bombs has been obtained. 2. Our study is primarily concerned with action which, if taken during the first month of a war beginning in December 1954, would have an effect within the first two months of that war. We have, however, also considered attack on target systems whose destruction would involve more delayed results. 3. We have examined the best methods of attacking each target system and have grouped the targets in order of priority. We stress that such priorities cannot be considered as firm recommendations and that they would vary in the light of current intelligence and our strategic aims at the time. 4. Although we have taken into account the characteristics of both British and American forces and weapons as far as they are known to us, we have taken no account of the availability of forces. It is, however, possible to draw a com parison between the number of sorties required and the 1,200 sorties which would be available from every hundred medium bombers in the first month of war. * C.O.S. (52) 171st Meeting Item 3 of 16th December, 1952; and C.O.S. (53) 15th Meeting Item 16 of 2nd February, 1953. † C.O.S. (52) 144 of 29th February, 1952; J.I.C. (52) 35 (Final) (Revise) of 6th January, 1953; T.A.B. 11/24 of 9th May, 1952; T.A.B. 11/34 (undated) as amended by J.I.B. for a date of December 1954; S.A.W.C. 1/51/4 of 21st February, 1951; Sub/S.A.W.C. 1/5/52 of 3rd November, 1952; Admiralty T.S.D./001003/52 of 11th March, 1952; J.I.C. (53) 39 (Final) of 28th April, 1953; J.I.C. (53) 38 (Final) of 9th April, 1953; J.I.C. (53) 36 (Final) of 30th April, 1953; and C.O.S. (M.A.) (53) 3 of 14th February, 1953. TOP SECRET 44898
