Skip to content

Tuesday, March 10, 1942

Father died this morning. Nothing I can do but send a wire.

One thing that might help win this war is to get someone to shoot King. He’s the antithesis of cooperation – a deliberately rude person – which means he’s a mental bully. He became C-in-C.of. the Fleet some time ago. Today he takes over, also, Stark’s job as C. of N.O. It’s a good thing to get rid of the double head in the Navy – and of course Stark was just a nice old lady – but this fellow is going to cause a blow up sooner or later, I’ll bet a cookie.

Gradually some of the people with whom I have to deal are coming to agree with me that there are just three “musts” for the Allies this year: hold open the line to England and support her as necessary; keep Russia in the
war as an active participant; hold the India-Middle East buttress between Japs and Germans. All this assumes the safety from major-attack of North America, Hawaii, and Caribbean area.

We lost 8 cargo ships yesterday. That we must stop, because any effort we make depends upon sea communication.