HUDMUN CRISIS 

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CRISIS BACKGROUND GUIDE ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

 

Co-Chair: Kenny Dollaway Co-Chair: Nycklas Redenti  Crisis Directors: Kev Marleau, Arthur Worrad _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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Letter From The Chairs  Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Arcadia Conference! We are Kenny Dollaway, Kev Marleau, and

Nycklas Redenti, and we will be your chairs for crisis. All three of us are big history nerds and

big World War II fans, which is why we are very excited to be chairing a crisis committee about

one of the defining strategic meetings between the allies in World War II. This committee will

center around the goings on of the Arcadia Conference; however, there will be a significant focus

on tactical troop placement and strategically handling the growing threat of Nazi Germany. We

chose this specific section of World War II because it takes place at a time when tensions were

extremely high in Europe and the future of the free nations in Europe were looking bleak.

Because of this, we believe that this committee will most definitely lead to challenging decisions

being made, and exciting crisis events for all of you to respond to. If you have any questions or

concerns for Saturday do not hesitate to email us at highlandmodelun@gmail.com. We are

incredibly excited to meet all of you and to figure out how to stop the Nazi menace together.

Best of Luck! Sincerely,

Kenny Dollaway Kev Marleau Nycklas Redenti

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The Arcadia Conference 

Introduction

Tensions are high in Europe. France has fallen, Italy is under fascist rule, Spain is in disarray,

and Germany only seems to be spreading. With a hugely economically depressed Britain, and the

looming threat of a German invasion of the United Kingdom, the last light of western Europe is

dangerously close to going out. The United States, enjoying economic prosperity through trade

and production, has largely remained neutral throughout the war, despite a fair bit of aid and

supplies given to the United Kingdom. However, with the increasingly dismal situation with the

United Kingdom, and Japan taking offensive action at Pearl Harbor, has finally decided to enter

the war, and will be meeting with both Winston Churchill and other military officials from the

United Kingdom to discuss strategy and actions going forward in the fight against Nazi

Germany.

The United States

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent German declaration of war pushed the

conflict-avoiding American populace towards supporting total war with the axis powers. Industry

in the United States was already mobilized towards a war economy due to the production of war

materials that were supplied to Allied forces through the Lend-Lease Program. The United States

Armed Forces, which was previously a hodge-podge of undermanned regional armies, had also

seen considerable growth since the initial German attack on Poland. The military and political

leaders of the United States now faced several significant problems. The first and most urgent

question was how the United States would cooperate with her largest remaining ally, the United

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Kingdom. Historically, military coalitions functioned poorly as a result of conflicting interests

and power struggles between nations. Just as much of Napoleon’s success came from being a

unified military force fighting against numerous coalitions, there was much fear among military

leaders that the unified German armed forces could capitalize on any hesitation or

mismanagement of the Allied forces. The second question was what position the United States

would play in the war. The United States faced a war in two distinct theaters, Pacific and

Atlantic. Resources in the Pacific theatre were severely damaged as a result of the Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent occupation of the Philippines. Failure to act in the

Pacific could lead to near irreversible Japanese control of the Pacific. Meanwhile, the United

Kingdom stood on the verge of defeat across the Atlantic Ocean. Should the United Kingdom

fall, the German Empire would be able to devote its resources to defeating the Soviet Union,

thereby gaining an impenetrable hold over the European continent and leaving the United States

as the sole bastion of democracy caught in a two-front war. Delegates must find how the United

States can best utilize her resources to avoid either of these situations, and must find how these

goals can be accomplished effectively despite the many historical problems which plagued other

military coalitions.

The United Kingdom

The year is 1941. London has received massive damage and casualties from the seemingly non

stop barrage of bombings. The United Kingdom is dwindling in both supplies and available

troops and the clock is ticking, and it does not look like it will be long before Britain is lost. This

situation led to the United Kingdom reaching out to allies to aid the cause against Germany, and

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with most of the viable nations either annexed or in disarray, there lies one option: the United

States. Prior to this, the United States spent most of the early section of the war, following

Britain and France’s declaration of war against Germany in response to the invasion of Poland,

providing various forms of material to contribute to the war effort for the allies. However, due to

these increasingly desolate conditions for Britain, possibly facing defeat at the hands of Nazi

Germany, and certainly unable to pay for anymore material, the United States responded with the

lend-lease system. The lend-lease system was meant to act as a way to provide the allies with

supplies and defer payment until a later date, justified by the fact that Europe was virtually

bankrupt following World War I and the economic trouble of the 1930s. The lend-lease system

proved beneficial for the United Kingdom at the time, however, Britain more troops would be

required to succeed against the Nazi war machine. Luckily for the United Kingdom, the United

States finally entered the war and discussions over what to do next were finally underway. The

United States and Britain would hold a special conference in Washington D.C. called the Arcadia

Conference. This conference had the primary objective of establishing strategies for how the

allies would go forward in the war effort against Nazi Germany, including troop placement and

potential new campaigns and fronts to fight the Axis on. Due to heavy military pressure from the

German military, Churchill and his military advisors are under heavy duress to use this

conference to focus strategic effort against Germany in Europe.

Nazi Germany

Germany has had numerous successes on its path to world domination. The majority of European

nations have capitulated and allowed all of their possessions to fall into Germans hands. This

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juggernaut seems unstoppable, their armies have brought an end to more than one nation, in such

a short amount of time, as Winston Churchill said “our citizens weekend in the country, but

Hitler takes countries in the weekend”. The policy of appeasement utilized by the United

Kingdom allowed for German conquest to get rolling without resistance. This allowed for the

German speaking region of Czechoslovakia, known as the Sudetenland to be annexed, the

Rhineland to be remilitarized, and Austria to be annexed by Germany in the Anuchlausen, all of

which spat in the face of the treaty of Versailles. The utilization of the new military strategy

known as Blitzkrieg has allowed not only for the complete invasion of Poland, but also for the

total decimation of the French. The actions of Germany have resulted in a declaration of war

from the United Kingdom, egos have received material support from the United States, and this

has pushed Germany to search for allies in other nations left unsatisfied after the conclusion of

the First World War, and it has found them in the nations of Italy and Japan. Italy has just

concluded a war with Ethiopia, and annexed the nation along with the area of Eritrea, but besides

that, their actions have been less than inflammatory, however the Empire of Japan made the

decision to instigate a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, as they saw

America as their rival for supremacy over the Pacific. This action resulted in an official

declaration of war from the US, and was responded to in kind by a deceleration of war from the

German government. German forces have been deployed into North Africa in order to prevent an

allied invasion into Europe through Anatolia, and on the northern coast to help defend the

channel. As the victories have come pouring in for Germany, and despite the fact that Hitler and

Stalin have signed the Molotov-Rippenbau pact, Hitler’s gaze has began to fall East.

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Empire of Japan

On August 1 of 1941, the United States declared an oil embargo on the Empire of Japan, as a

result of Japan occupying key air bases in Indochina during the Second Sino-Japanese war. This

embargo put excess strain on Japan’s already uneasy economy. The years of war with China

have resulted in a massive industrial power, and without the oil, things were very quickly

degrading. It was under much duress that Japan decided on September 4, 1941 to plan an attack

on the United States military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Following this attack, the United

States declared war and four days later, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy joined in on the side of

Japan. Japan followed up their attack with a massive offensive that sought to ensure Japanese

dominance over the South-East Asia and the South Pacific. This offensive was immensely

successful, and led to the fall of Hong Kong, British Malaya, and Singapore all in quick

succession. The Philippines were captured in January of 1942, and this lead to the capture of

70,000 American and Filipino soldiers, one of the worst losses suffered by America during the

war. The important areas of Borneo, Central Java, Malang, Cepu, Sumatra, and the Dutch

controlled areas of New Guinea and the East Indies. The shadow of Japan currently looms over

Asia, and it will take a massive strategic effort to ensure they are pushed back.

Actions to be Taken

Since each delegate will be assigned a specific character who will be some sort of government or

military official from either the United States or the United Kingdom, it will be important that

each delegate understands the goals and agenda of not just the country but of the individual.

These specific may help you to figure out which front you plan to fight on, what resources you

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will attempt to allocate, and how you will handle various crises that occur during the committee.

For example, an American official might be more focused on allocating troops and resources

towards fighting Japan due to the Pearl Harbor attack. Whereas a British official might be more

preoccupied with handling the immediate threat of Germany in continental Europe.

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Characters

British Officers

Sir Dudley Pound Admiral of the Fleet of the British Royal Navy For hundreds of years, the Royal Navy was the most formidable naval force in the world. In order to defend her overseas possessions and the trade between them, the Royal Navy must defend her convoys from the formidable threat of German submarines. As Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Dudley Pound will be tasked with making effective use of the United Kingdom’s naval superiority. Sir John Dill Field Marshal of the British Army Having a rocky relationship with the recently appointed Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Sir John Dill was sent to Washington to oversee the diplomatic end of joint military operations. A firm believer in cooperation, Dill hopes to cooperate with the United States Army to ensure victory.

Sir Charles Portal Chief of the Air Staff of the British Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force played a key role in defending the United Kingdom from the German onslaught. Fighters had to be ready at a moment’s notice to defend major industrial centers from strategic bombings. Sir Charles Portal, as Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Air Force, must balance the United Kingdom’s defensive and offensive capabilities.

Stewart Menzies Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service Stewart Menzies, as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service had many responsibilities. His jurisdiction largely pertained to the cracking of German codes and securing important pieces of intelligence about the strategic plans of the Axis. Menzies will play a large role in conducting espionage missions, disseminating propaganda, and funding resistance movements in Axis occupied territories.

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Anthony Eden Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs A very able diplomat, he was somewhat hampered due to the fact that Churchill handled most negotiations. He was largely responsible for much of the information passed between Britain and the USSR, and was the main government contact for Charles de Gaulle, and many of the exiled French in Free France.

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U.S. Officers:

Ernest J. King Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet The United States Navy suffered a devastating loss of forces after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Like the United Kingdom, the United States will rely on her Navy to protect her supply ships and homefront. Ernest J. King, as Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet, must judiciously divide his forces between the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. George C. Marshall Chief of Staff of the United States Army Prior to the the United States’ entry into World War II, the United States Army was vastly undersupplied and inexperienced. George C. Marshall, as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, will have to unify the current hodgepodge of small regional armies into an effective armed force capable of defeating both Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan.

Henry H. Arnold Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces After the reorganization of the United States Air Force combined the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Force, Henry H. Arnold was charged with direct control of the newly unified Air Force. The Royal Air Force, although in a strong position, will greatly appreciate the support of the United States Air Force.

William J. Donovan Director of the Office of Strategic Services Prior to World War II, the United States’ intelligence gathering capabilities were haphazard and limited. The Office of Strategic Services was formed after the attack on Pearl Harbor to rectify this. As the Director of the Office of Strategic Services, William J. Donovan will be responsible for performing and defending from espionage, funding resistance groups in Axis occupied territories, and disseminating propaganda at home and abroad. Although not entirely trusted by his counterparts in Britain and the Armed Forces, Donovan was known to never turn down a plan, no matter how implausible.

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Donald M. Nelson Chairman of the War Production Board Donald M. Nelson was made Chairman of the War Production Board after the creation of the Board in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States’ industrial capability is vast and untapped, particularly as the States suffer from the Great Depression. Nelson must ensure that these resources are balanced and utilized efficiently between the United States’ population and its military forces. Cordell Hull Secretary of State Appointed as Secretary of State by Roosevelt, Cordell Hull was staunchly anti-fascist, and sought not only to defeat fascism in Europe but worked hard to prevent its spread. As Secretary of State, Cordell Hull will be responsible for communication between the U.S. and other countries.