| November 1942 Anglo-American Landings in North Africa |
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| U.S. military planners had hoped to launch a full-scale invasion
of German-occupied France in 1942, but by the summer they had become convinced that such an operation
would be too risky. Nevertheless, President Roosevelt was determined that American troops see action
against the Germans before the end of the year, so an invasion was planned instead for Morocco
and Algeria, in an effort to relieve Axis pressure against the British in Egypt. The invasion,
which was to consist of nearly 130,000 British and American troops, was placed under the command
of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, there was a potential complication—Morocco and Algeria
were French colonies, and while the French were not active allies of the Germans, it was feared
that they would resist any attempt by the Allies to occupy their territory.
The invasion force set sail from Scotland on 26 October, and the first landings—at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers—took place on 8 November. At all three locations the French chose to resist, and the Allies suffered casualties. However, the French High Commissioner in Algiers entered into secret negotiations with Eisenhower, and two days later all French resistance came to an end. By the middle of November Algeria was firmly in British and American hands, and Axis forces in North Africa faced the possibility of being caught between two Allied armies. Histories: Campaign Maps: Personal Accounts: Photographs: |
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