E Pluribus Unum

That good, hard face, with its deep lines and its one eye blank, was back in people's minds again. General Sir Archibald Wavell, for better or for worse the most famous Allied commander in the whole war, was to take up a post difficult in more than one sense: Supreme Commander of all forces--sea, land and air--of all nations fighting the Japanese in the southwest Pacific area.

The armchair strategists might debate until their rockers broke about the subtle pros & cons of Sir Archibald's generalship in the Middle East last year: whether he was too cautious, or too slow, or too orthodox (TIME, Oct. 14, 1940). But to the men and women, both in Britain and the U.S., to whom the war was more a worry than an avocation, Archie Wavell was still the best damn general on our side. MacArthur (TIME, Dec. 29, and see p. 19) was right up there, but he had his hands full. Unquestionably Wavell was the best choice.

General Wavell's Deputy Supreme Commander--in other words his chief sidekick, his alter ego--was to be Major General George H. Brett, 55, Chief of the Air Corps of the U.S. Army. A good choice, certainly. He would assure the air arm of a hearing. An expert on supply, he would see to first things first: secure lines before tactical missions. Fresh from a tour which took in Egypt, Britain, India and Russia, he probably knew more about problems of Allied cooperation than any other U.S. officer. Grey-haired, dapper, popular, he has not let desk duties ground him, and he is still a crackerjack fighter pilot.

General Wavell's naval commander will be Admiral Thomas C. Hart, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet. A good choice, certainly. The focus of all operations in the southwest Pacific is a British naval base, Singapore, but the greatest actual and potential naval power in the Pacific is U.S. power. And even the British are willing to admit that Tommy Hart is a progressive chap. His American colleagues think he is more than that; they think he is as tough of mind as he is wiry of body, that he is aggressive, independent, wide-awake (TIME, Nov. 24).

General Wavell's Chief of Staff will be General Sir Henry Royds Pownall, who has just done a one-two-three stint as Commander in Chief of British forces in the Far East. A logical choice, from the looks of things (see p. 20).

Because he is too big to be put under even the Wavell hat, China's Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek was given supreme command over land and air forces of the Allies in the China area. Besides--and this was a significant clue as to the possible operation of the joint command--the Gissimo will lead in "such portions of Indo-China and Thailand as may be available to troops of the united nations."

Inexorable Quadruplets. Thus the Allied world greeted a piece of precedent-shattering news last week by examining and approving the personalities involved. There had been instances of more or less joint command before, but never before had one man been in command of all the weapons of several nations in a whole sector of the earth.

There were dangers. There might be frictions. The British Navy at Singapore might feel slighted. The British Dominions might be miffed at being left out, especially Australia, which might prove to be a major base of Allied operations (see p. 30). The Dutch might think they deserved more say. Differences might also arise as to strategy.

But the advantages obviously offset the dangers. The big question was how quickly Archie Wavell's Supreme Command could get to work--not just salvaging outposts, but driving hard and shrewdly at the enemy. There were indications last week that the work might begin quickly:

> Before the announcement ever came out, Chinese forces moved from Yuennan Province into Burma. The "availability" to Allied troops of parts of Indo-China and Thailand, referred to in connection with Gissimo Chiang, was perhaps explained by this move. An attack in that quarter might play fatal hob with Japan's communications to Malaya.

> Within 24 hours of the announcement, a British communique reported that "British and American airmen operating from Burma yesterday morning attacked the airdrome at Rahenteha in Perak." From Burma to this part of Malaya and back is 1,000 miles, too far for fighters: new U.S. bombers had apparently arrived in Burma.

> Within two days the U.S. War Department announced that U.S. bombers had scored three direct hits on a Japanese battleship and sunk an enemy destroyer off Mindanao, the southernmost major Philippine island. These planes, presumably Flying Fortresses, must have been based on British or Dutch territory.

In India, preparing to take up his new duties, Archie Wavell bent the straight creases of his face into a smile and said: "I have been handed several babies to look after in my time, but this looks rather like quadruplets. ..." Then, more gravely and with his typical caution, he added: "The situation may become worse until the tide turns, but turn it will with inexorable strength."

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