NORTH .AFRICA / Tonight the American flag is filing at the great French naval base af Oran. United S+ates military headauarters haVbeen set up in the center A of the city. (The French Vichy forces put up a goo a deal of resistance at Oran, but our troops closed in on that Algerian key point from two sides. Here’s a late d i spat^ch , t e 11 ing about it. V Our North African Commander, Lieutenant-Genera]. Eisenhower tells the order he sent to Major-General A Fredendall, American Commander at Oran. "I told Fredendal1 that the cleanup must come today. He started in," Eisenhower adds," and made a fine job of it." So now we have Oran and Algeirs and the only other important stronghold lelt for us to capture is Casablanca — in Morocco. ,Resistance in morocco has even been stronger all along than in Algeria - - but now Casablanca may have fallen to the American forces. stadiast reports our t anks were driving through iatvw . „ • french,ceSS only part of Casablanca streets, tue vicny n X /v NOPTH AfRICA . 2 If t.ne city. Today’s news^tells about a naval engagement fought at C^sanlanca. A force of F-pench destroyers tried to t inter!ere with our landing, and attacked our boats. thereupon the American Naval commander threw forward the full power of his squadron, smashed the F-rench destroyers. The Vichy defense was helped by the great battleship Jean* Bart -- which big chip was not in a condition to navigate, but was able to operate as a stationery fort, hurling powerful ~s^Xr broadsides. ^American Navy dive bombers put an end to that. They smashed the Jean Bart and left it a flaming ruin. The advance forces of the great offensive are (X driving eastward tov/ard Tunis. Tfo* swiit armored ^ I is on the go, intending to drive through Tunis and on into Italian Libya -- thereby threatening rear attack on the Nazi Afrika Korps, which is retreating r / rapidly before the British on the other side. NORTH_AFRICA - 3 1err-ti - i - r —T-tni i s —b eeau p-<?—triTfr-~B~s7——a-rreh A •b-b-e—VicftT^-FFg~s~T-H-t-»Trfc Qerrcra 1—h-tm—refvrsed—b-©—©epmi.b-> A m e p 4 c a-R h - r 1 l^e—1-0—r oq -^ k A late statement from the Axis side declares that the Bpy of Tunis has agreed to permit the passage of American troops -- ^ jz X \ 3^^ t-o—^ ntcT Libya at Rommel. 0 ^______ c^V ~P VA^VV/V<J . EGYPT tykCuiS} At the eastern end of North Africa, the British continue to chase after the Germans, who are in rapid retreat. ^Speaking of the great Battle of the Desert, British Prime Minister Churchill stated today:- "'"e have won a remarkable, definite victory." And he told of what has happened to the Nazi Afrika Sorps. It has been defeated," said Churchill, "has been routed and has been very largely destroyed as a fighting force." What has Berlin to say about the precipitate* proudly led to phrase in They have describing the movement of the Axis troops, in the words of the German communique, "detached themselves further westward is a nice way of saying that they are fast, the British can't catch up with " "Detach1’ traveling so them. In fact, ’’detach” sounds like a good wy way of describing the EGYPT_- 2 whole of Rommel1s present situation - with the British chasing him from the east and the Americans coming from the west, to attack the Afrika Korps from the rear. Well, if we go fast enough through Tunis and on to Italian Libya, Rommel may soon be completely detached from his main base of supplies and port of escape. Secretary Knox today:- "The battle A !\ now going on in North Africa is the j^econd front, and^is progressing beyond all expectations." He warned, however, that the complete defeat of the Nazi North Afrika Korps is, in his words, "not yet assured." "The Germans are clever," A y "There is a possibility that Rommel may get re inforcements and that the battle may emerge into a lengthy engagement and it is loolish toclaim victory un til it is won." t/<i "to armada "The greatest armada in history" - that*s the term used to describe the ships that carried our invasion forces to North Africa. Well, it would have to be that - considering the magnitude of the operation, the many points attacked and the formidable amount of military power, men and machines, that are in the mighty American offensive. So we can well believe what a naval officer said today. "In terms of tonnage, it was the greatest armada in history." f^o that we can add General Jimmy Doolittle's ttxixxa "air-mada". And that completes the picture of a mighty armada plus a mighty air-mada. Secretary Knox today called the ship movement "the most superb piece of seamanship on record." He said he expected a lot of Nazi U-boat A activity against our^s^-icjs* in the Mediterranean, and thought that the entire force of Axis submarines now ARMADA - 2 concentrated in the North Atlantic may be moved into the Mediterranean. # The Secretary was asked about Berlin reports that U-boats and sky bombers have already sunk and damaged American vessels. Berlin claims today that fifteen warships and transports have been hit. 4 A replied that Washington has received no direct word about any such thing from the Navy. "The units," he explained, "have been too busy to send us any news." London tells us of the torpedoing of an Italian cruiser near Sicily, across from Africa. Berlin counters by claiming that a British battleship of the QUEEN ELIZABETH class was torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic. FREN CH_LEACERS There is a smile in the official statement today that French Admiral Darlan, who was captured when the Americans took Algiers, is being "entertained" by our tommancer, General Eisenhower. - Darlan has been a Number One advocate of cooperation with the Nazis and he went to North Africa to supervise the defense against possible attack, j He pot to Algiers just, in time to surrender. So we might think he wou d be rno^-e a prisoner of war than a guest being entertained. However, maybe there is something deeper to that peculiar phraseology. They say it is possible that Darlan may come over to the side of the United Nations, and there are reports that right now he is pondering j a decision - whether to join our side or not.(The same "thing is said to be true of General Juin, the French land commander who was captured at Algiers. Hence, they are not being styled "prisoners" - they are bejn^ "entertained.” ___ FRENCH_LEADEBS - 2 In the question of French commanders changing sides, strong influence, it is thought, will be exercised by General Giraud, who escaped from Vichy France to join our forces. No explanation is given how the sixty-three year old officer got out»-being kept a secret, so as not to jeopardize people who * ' supposed— helped him^ reXor th\t th^ ^s\ap4,of Xenetal ^Sira>idVwa en\ineared\by a'n unydergVound oiSganizat ion tii r\rc.nye That v e ve r a n\ w a rr ior\is iuit® an ^ \ E ^ i ^ S ^ hast Aar hV bAokeV^tv^* a\ prison <\amp. \£u3^ng\the x prAsenA war\ he ^as ^apt^ed W the GeVmans\ ^nd f\epe^i^ is VxplAit V by \ etling Vway Vro\^the\ Germans \and i^o ^ichy\Fr\xce.\The\e con^ist\ntly^refu^ed\^o \ av\ anV thirty A do \ itl\the\{Iaz, ari^ has^esc^ped t o\ j o i\TL is . Today American General Eisenhov/er announced that FRENCH LEASERS - 3 General iraud is in Algeria to organize^^French forces battle side by side with the Americans. ' (ueneral , ^ 1 I' Eisenhower is quoted as saying: ’’Giraud will crystalize all anti-Nazi sentiment in North Africa, organize the French army, and, if necessary, carry on civil affairs.” That covers a lot of territory, and sounds as if General Giraud mi ,ht be put in charge of A - -__ __ French North Africa^^here is even some surmise that he might succeed General DeGaulle as head of the Fighting French. \The Question was asked in London today, and a irhting French spokesman stated: ’’that .‘ill be decided when end if DeGau. le and Giraud meet.” French leadership on the other side of the fence, the Vichy side, seems to be in a state of confusion. Today head of the Vichy Government Marshal Petain assumed command of all land, air and sea forces that Vichy controls. Petain announced that he would FRENCH LEADERS - 4 assume the supreme command,- "Jn the absence of Admiral Darlan”, as Admiral Darlan being )\ rumor had him on his way to have a povz-wow with Hitler and Mussolini. /Switzerland reports that the Nazi Fuehrer and the Fascist Duce are together right now, trying to figure out what to do. Mussolini is said to be greatly alarmed by the possibility of an American-British attack on the Italian peninsula, an £ assault launchXsT'Hoftl' Africa. They say that A entertained by General bisenhower in Algiers. What about Laval, the arch collaborationist and bip-shot in the Vichy government? There are suppositions that Laval’s idea is for the Germans to take over the 1 remainder of France, the part unoccupied at present - and for the French fleet to be turned over to the Nazis. A late rumor from Madrid states that Laval has gone to Berlin to confer with Hitler. An earlier FRE]i£&-IiE£I)EBS_- 5 Mussolini may ask Hitler to take over the defense of the Italian coastline. POOSFVELT Who was the author of the great American offensive? From what person does the great campaign in North Africa emanate? The answer is - President Roosevelt. This was stated today by British Prime / Minister Winston Churchil\. \ He described the offensive in these words:- "the momentous enterprise undertaken by the United States at the western dnd of the Mediterranean." And then he made\ this statement "The President of the United States," said he, "is the author of this mighty undertaking." , And Churchill added: "In all of it I have been his active and arden lieutenant." FOLLOW^OOSLV d LT President Roosevelt ives us his own version - • saying the planning of the African campaign goes back to two weeks after Pearl Harbor. With an offensive in mind, the President invited Prime Minister Winston Churchill to visit him in Washington.^ That — resulted in the Churchill trip over here, which made such headlines. The President and the Prime Minister discussed various offensive plans. They considered ■^-UrvvT invasion of the Nazi controlled eh continent -- a drive across the English Channel. k tj direct x'ijirt-4-BJ A A "they decided^ that the best line of assault against the Nazi power would be through Nort- Africa. The President today described the offensive as a smaller second front instead oi a oigger invasion attempt against Nazi controlled France. ^tH.e Sfai^u 7 fitter I t . . e r t,i 4rn th-e-prr-pft-rat ion 4i-e— empire . Replies have been received to messages that President Roosevelt sent to Spain and Portugal, and these replies are described as - "satisfactory.” When the African offensive began, the President j told Franco-of-Spain ;and Carmona-of-Portugal,that the Americans have no intention of touching the Spanish j and Portuguese territories^ S-pain oimo, for sue things ^4^4^c>e s s The replies that have been received are oral, by word of mouth. This was stated today by White House secretaryt Steve Early, who a ,ed that formal written replies -might come along later. „ ■ j aT.p satisfactory. The oral/Tn-?irFSS-, said he, a.e And in London Prime Minister Churchill today EMPIRE - 2 £-ave assurance to Spain and Portugal, reiterating that the Allies have no intentions against them.^Our policy towards Spain and Portugal,” said Churchill, nis that they shall be independent, free, prosperous and at peace. The Spanish especially, after all their troubles, reuire peace for recuperation,” said he.^ Churchill also renewed assurances to France - disclaiming any intention of depriving France of her empire in North Africa. gath-ep-fr^ " Churchill also spoke of the British Empire, A and he certainly does not agree with some people who are saying that the mighty worldwide realm is tnrouph. "We mean to hold our own," Churchill cried. "I did not become Prime Minister in order to preside over the 1ia uid at ion of the British Empire. GUADALCANAL As for the Solomon Islands, the Commander of the Marine Corps in Washington states that the marines ) end soldiers are improving their positions; and that they now actually outnumber the Japs that are trying to capture the Guadalcanal air base y Then LieutenE.nt-General Holcomb went on to * rive a military report about th-e-fuh j u DAWLaa, does*. Louie-the-Louse and Pistol-Pete^ 1 >^■ - cht w t Lero t c»al-t ao mao>h-j ♦, --fettt" p >'«' yetr^yw-g—te be-sr-nuiconoc "Louie-the-Louse" is the leader of a squadron of half a dozen seaplanes, which appear regularly over the American positions at night. They drop hundred pound bombs, and fly away. Louie-the-Louse comes ■very night. He does little material dam"rp but he .nterferes with the sleep of the garrison. "Pistol Pete", according to General HslsBi Holcomb, is the Commander of a jap artillery battery GUADALCANAL -_2 deep in the jungle which shells the American positions at regular intervals. The enemy trick is to send shells over Thile the marines and soldiers are having chow. Which makes "Pistol Pete" the meanest Jap of all. DRAFT Late this afternoon the House of Representatives a£e / / passed the bill to lo?rer the draft^ xr to eighteen, The bill did not include the restriction that would have compelled fcax? the Army to give the eighteeh and nineteen year olds a year of training before sending them to combat zones. The measure, as originally passed by the House, isr embodied that proviso. The Senate bill did not. So the whole thing was thrashed out in a joint conference. 'T'oday, the conference voted to eliminate the provision requiring a year of training, and shortly afterward the House followed suit - thereby passing a bill that squares with the ideas of the President and the Army chiefs, v.rho were opposed to the year-of-training restriction. SUBMARINE A thriller of the war against the submarines j was told today in Canaan. Tv/o Canadians leaped aboard a sinking Nazi U-boat, had a gun battle, captured the floundering craft and compelled the surrender of the crew. The submarine was out to attack an Atlantic convoy- ffirst it was bombed by an American patrol A plane and damaged. It was below water, when a Canadian corvette smacked it with a depth bomb. That forced the sub to the surface, and the corvette blasted the craft with gunfire, charged it, and rammed it three times. With the corvette alongside the' U-boat, two Canadian naval men leaped onto the deck ol th e undersea craft. "7>e started along the deck toward the conning tower," relates one of the Canadians. "We could seethe Gerrasns cominf! out of the escape hatch and yelled at submarine - 2 them to keep back. But the two in front kept comin,: .n The two Nazis charged to attack the Canadians, who opened fire with their pistols and shot them dov/n. There Wes still a third man on the deck, and the Canadians ordered him to jump overboard. He wouldn’t t T go so they vnocked him overboard. One of the Canadians had the temerity to go below decks in the sinking submarine. nThe sub had taken an’ awful beating from our guns," he relates. "There were shell holes through the conning tower along the waterline. I went into the conning tower,"he continues, "and mustered the Germans on deck. They were in complete panic. I pointed to the corvette and told them to swim for it." Then the two Canadians went overside, following the submarine crew that they had Cctptuied. In a minute or two, the U-boat reared up on end, and slid to the /-fzTVvh't?- ^ ^ bottom.