5
France, its members were operating under German surveillance,
which to the outside world seemed to give a collaborationist tinge to
their activities. General Henri Giraud, who had recently escaped
from German custody, was to become the recognized leader of this
group, which included some of the French military leaders in North
Africa. The clash of personalities between de Gaulle and Giraud
was to prevent a union of the Free French and the French Liberation
groups during the North African campaign.
3. The third group was made up of pro-Vichy French—men clinging with pathetic loyalty to old Marshal Petain. This group comprised those unfortunates in France and Axis-dominated territories
who believed that collaboration with the Germans was the best
method of insuring the future of their country. Admiral Jean Darlan,
who controlled the French fleet, was Petain’s designated successor.
In laying the groundwork for the North African invasion, the
American Government based its policy on the view that if the leading Frenchmen in North Africa were given armed support they
would be ready to seize the opportunity of liberating themselves
from the German yoke. This policy embarked the United States on
a course of detailed negotiations with the French Liberation Movement in North Africa. Throughout the planning stage of the invasion Mr. Robert Murphy, the American Consul General at Rabat,
maintained close liaison with Allied Force Headquarters from his
offices in North Africa. Since the British had previously committed
their support to de Gaulle's Free French, not only did negotiations
with the French Liberation Movement in North Africa have to be
conducted by Americans, but it was also deemed desirable to have
the initial landings made by American troops. Since, to maintain
secrecy, detailed Allied plans could not be communicated to the
French, and because their allegiances in North Africa were divided,
positive support from them could not be assured.
In a further effort to reach an understanding, a secret rendezvous
was arranged about fifty miles west of Algiers on the night of 22-23
October. Major General Mark W. Clark, Deputy Commander, Allied
Force, (who was put ashore from a submarine) met Mr. Murphy
and a delegation of French officers headed by General Mast, commander of French military forces in the Algiers area. Mast represented the Liberation Movement in that part of North Africa.
The meeting was broken up by the local police, and the important
question of what Darlan and the French fleet would do was left unanswered, although some progress was made with the Army leaders
in setting up a plan of command in North Africa.
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