Build a unified Far East command before the crisis

The proposed remedy is to send a politically credible, very senior naval leader to organize the Far East as a theater rather than leave several commands to work separately. The theater commander would sit above dedicated land, air, and naval component leaders instead of trying to direct every force personally. Such a headquarters would not magically add ships or aircraft, but it could establish plans, train junior staff, and begin integrating British, Commonwealth, and Dutch forces before war with Japan. Its purpose would be to extract the greatest practical strength from the limited forces already present.