13
COMMENTS
The surrender of Casablanca ended the initial (landing) phase of
the operations. Months of preparation and three days of fighting
had placed almost all French North Africa in Allied hands. Amerï؟¾ican casualties totaled about 770 killed or missing and 1050 wounded.
The British lost 240 killed or missing and sixty wounded.
Perhaps the most significant accomplishment of the operation
was the organization of a combined force of American and British
ground, air, and naval forces under one combined staff and the moveï؟¾ment of this force thousands of miles to make simultaneous combat
landings at widely separated points on a hostile shore. The landings,
involving over 100,000 troops, hundreds of airplanes, and 258 ships
and war vessels, had truly written a new chapter in amphibious
warfare.
The political aspects of the landings, particularly the recognition
of Darlan, became a subject of much discussion. The comments of
General Marshall in an official report are most pertinent:
General Eisenhower had announced that General Giraud would
be responsible for civil and military affairs in North Africa, but
the French military officials on the ground were found to be loyal
to Marshal Petain’s government. President Roosevelt’s note to the
French Chief of State had assured Marshal Petain of our desire for
a liberated France, but the Vichy answer was disappointing. Our
ambassador was handed his passport on 9 November, and orders
were dis*****ed from Vichy to French African units to resist our
forces, which by then had already accomplished their missions exï؟¾cept on the Casablanca front.
Unexpectedly, Admiral Jean Darlan, Petain’s designated sucï؟¾cessor and commander in chief of all French forces, was found to be
in Algiers. ... He was taken into protective custody, and when it
was found that the French leaders stood loyal to the Vichy governï؟¾ment, a series of conferences immediately followed with the purpose
of calling a halt to the French resistance against General Patton’s
task force in the vicinity of Casablanca. When, on the morning of
11 November, the Germans invaded unoccupied France, Admiral
Darlan rejected the pseudo-independent Vichy government, assumed
authority in North Africa in the name of Marshal Petain, and proï؟¾mulgated an order to all French commanders in North Africa to
cease hostilities. This order reached Casablanca a few minutes beï؟¾fore the final American assault was to be launched on the early
morning of 11 November.
These events, which transpired subsequent to the actual landings
on 8 November, required quick decisions, and the results finally
achieved fully vindicated the American military leaders. Throughï؟¾out the North African campaign the problem of welding the French
into a united and cooperative ally was a heavy burden which fell to
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