▁Supreme ▁Al lied ▁Commander ▁of ▁all ▁" American - B rit ish - D utch - Austral ian " ▁( AB DA ) ▁forces ▁in ▁South ▁East ▁Asia ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁from ▁Bur ma ▁to ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁Ind ies . ▁ ▁However , ▁adv ances ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁month ▁split ▁the ▁AB DA ▁forces ▁in ▁two . ▁After ▁transfer ring ▁the ▁forces ▁in ▁Bur ma ▁to ▁the ▁India ▁Command , ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁W av ell ▁res igned ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁AB DA ▁and ▁res umed ▁his ▁position ▁of ▁Cin C ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁India . ▁Res p ons ibility ▁for ▁the ▁South ▁West ▁Pacific ▁Area ▁passed ▁to ▁US ▁General ▁Douglas ▁Mac Ar thur ▁as ▁Supreme ▁Al lied ▁Commander ▁South ▁West ▁Pacific . ▁ ▁From ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁until ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁the ▁India ▁Command ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁South ▁East ▁Asian ▁Theatre . ▁General ▁W av ell ▁was ▁made ▁Vic ero y ▁of ▁India ▁and ▁General ▁Claude ▁Auch in le ck ▁became ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁India ▁Command ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁the ▁Al lies ▁formed ▁a ▁new ▁South ▁East ▁Asian ▁Command ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁strateg ic ▁respons ib ilities ▁for ▁the ▁theatre . ▁ ▁The ▁re organisation ▁of ▁the ▁theatre ▁command ▁took ▁about ▁two ▁months . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁October ▁W inst