America at war! (1941--) -- Part 2

[NormanStewart]

Conference stirs ire of Nazis, Japs

Casablanca meeting described as ‘bluff’

London, England (UP) –
Germany, completely misled on the Roosevelt-Churchill conference, heaped denunciation on the President today and that Nazi Vichy radio echoed that “Frenchmen” had hoped they would be spared such new effrontery as an Allied meeting on French Empire soil.

The London Daily Sketch, discussing the complete secrecy which protected the conferees at Casablanca, said Allied intelligence agents in the United States had given fake reports of a meeting in Washington to suspected Axis agents and as the result, “an important group” of German spies had been arrested.

It was not until 6 a.m. (1 a.m. EWT), three hours after the world, that German radios heard here reported that the President and Prime Minister Churchill had met at Casablanca.

The OWI reported that the Germans broadcast the fact of the Casablanca Conference at 10:45 p.m. EWT yesterday in an English-language morse code program – 45 minutes after it was announced.

All last night, in broadcasts in many languages, the German and other Axis radios had told in detail how Churchill had gone to Washington to confer with the President, who, they said, had demanded new bases in the British Empire in return for supplies for Britain.

Germany’s first broadcast putting the conference on the right side of the Atlantic merely quoted, in French and German, the fact that it had been held and the names of those who took part. It carried the news under an Amsterdam date, in keeping with the German policy of faking the places of origin of broadcasts on events in Allied countries.

‘Blow to sentiments’

Next the Nazi Vichy radio said:

The general opinion was that Churchill had gone to Washington to confer with the President, but this time the two statesmen met at Casablanca. The choice of Casablanca. The choice of Casablanca, that great city of our empire, deals a severe blow to the sentiments of Frenchmen, who had believed we would be spared such new effrontery.

At 9 a.m. (4 a.m. EWT), Berlin gave its first comment, in an official German news agency dispatch:

Roosevelt’s theatrical appearance in French territory, conquered without fighting, was symbolic of United States imperialism.

Roosevelt’s statement regarding a desire to see the strongest coalition in world history destroyed shows a lack of sense for reality for which he will be punished by the future course of events.

That he wishes the European peoples to bleed white while fighting against Bolshevism confirms that he is one of the greatest criminals in world history.

Germany quoted “political quarters” that the situation in North Africa and differences between the “invasion powers” there – America and Britain – and “French dissidents” had necessitated the personal intervention of the President and Churchill.

Typed as ‘bluff’

This broadcast said:

Internal differences which cannot be bridged have to be camouflaged by a bombastic meeting with the usual democratic propaganda bluff.

It was said that the Allied communiqué on the meeting referred to “offensive action” only to conceal submarine losses.

Berlin said:

Berlin considers that all that is being said on the offensive action subject in Allied declarations is mere propaganda.

As last as 7:15 p.m. EWT yesterday, Berlin was broadcasting such stories as:

STOCKHOLM: The outcome of the conference in Washington is being awaited in London with the utmost interest.

The Nazi Radio Paris broadcast at about 5:30 p.m. EWT yesterday:

Well-informed circles in Stockholm say that the Churchill conversations taking place in Washington deal with new territorial demands by the United States on Britain in exchange for further supplies.

It was learned in circles connected with the British Embassy at Madrid that violent discussions with Secretary of State Cordell Hull caused Viscount Halifax, British Ambassador in Washington, to decide to resign. The reason for the decision was said to be heavy claims made by the United States for cession of new bases.

Berlin had made the same statement regarding territorial claims.

Tokyo’s reaction

San Francisco, California (UP) –
Tokyo radio said today that the results of the meeting between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill were “all tall talk and no cider.”

Quoting “informed circles,” Tokyo radio said:

The total result of the conferences was their outstanding scrap centered on the puppet French regime set up by both Britain and the United States for dominating North Africa.

Another object was, the Tokyo radio said, to determine how:

Britain and the United States could get into the good graces of the Soviet Union as it would be too vital for the U.S. and Britain to incur the displeasure of the Soviet Union at the present stage of the World War.

[NormanStewart]

The Pittsburgh Press (January 27, 1943)

Roving Reporter

By Ernie Pyle

A forward airdrome in French North Africa – (Jan. 26)
This airdrome is full of stories about freakish escapes from death, as all airdromes are. But the strangest story I know is that of an airplane and its whole crew that disappeared in mid-air.

This was a veteran Flying Fortress crew. Its members had been heroes on many missions over Europe. They were leading a flight of three on their bombing run over a Tunisian port. The two wing planes were flying close on either side, the pilots following the lead plane, and suddenly it disappeared right before their eyes.

What happened is a matter of conjecture. But it seems very likely that an anti-aircraft shell made a direct hit on the plane’s bombload, setting off its own bombs, and that the whole plane blew to tiny bits instantly and just vanished. Nothing was ever seen except a little cloud of black smoke where the plane had been. Then the two other ships were flying on alone. One airman happened to be taking a picture at the very moment of the disappearance. The film showed two planes and a puff of smoke between.

A direct hit setting off a plane’s bomb load has never happened before in the American or British forces. I think it must have happened to the Germans, however, for I remember a British artillery officer telling me two years ago of a high-flying German bomber disappearing in a flash while he was looking at it through field glasses.

Fellow fliers of this ill-fated American crew were naturally pretty blue over the accident. But, as they say, when anything as freakish as that gets you, your number is just up regardless. And they go on with the war as usual.

When the boys tell you about it, they say:

Well, at least they never knew what happened to them, it was so quick.

The dearth of women, especially American women, is one of the greatest trials our soldiers overseas have to go through. There are thousands of men here, but only one woman has ever set foot on this vast airdrome. That was Margaret Bourke-White.

A sergeant who is a cook in one of the kitchens here was telling me:

You know how we’re always cussing and carrying on with each other. Well, the other day Miss Bourke-White walked through the kitchen all of a sudden. I guess we weren’t saying anything bad at the time, but we just hadn’t seen an American girl in so long that we all blushed.

I’ve met her, incidentally, for the first time, here in this remote desert spot. She is pleasant and good-looking, with prematurely graying hair. She makes quite a sight in Army trousers and wool-lined leather flying jacket.

The commanding general here is an exceptionally nice guy. We eat breakfast at his table, although usually we take out other meals out at some field mess, eating out of mess kits.

At any rate, we have marmalade for breakfast, and when the general doesn’t eat with us, I take his marmalade off his plate and eat it myself. The morning I met Miss Bourke-White, she up and asked the general if she could have his marmalade. I told her I’d been in the habit of eating it. And she said:

Your work and mine are so different nobody could ever imagine us as competitors, but from now on we’ll be better rivals for the general’s marmalade.

The eating isn’t as good here as back around Algiers and Oran. The farther east you go the more regimented the food becomes. That’s because it’s harder to buy fresh stuff from the country, and our food comes mostly out of ration cans. Not that it’s at all bad. A person could live very healthfully on it forever. But after you’ve eaten the same thing for weeks on end you get rather bored with it, to understate the case.

We are blessed with plenty of oranges, tangerines, figs and dates – especially dates. They are served at every meal here, huge platefuls of them. You can buy them in the stores or from boys in the streets of the villages.

Some of our Christmas boxes from back home were full of stuffed dates. If somebody will just send me a little sackful of sand for Easter, everything will be wonderful.

[NormanStewart]

Völkischer Beobachter (January 28, 1943)

Das Kitschtheater von Casablanca –
Feierliche „Versöhnung“ unter Jupiterlampen

Von unserer Stockholmer Schriftleitung

Stockholm, 27, Jänner –
Der geheimnisvolle Schleier über den britisch-amerikanischen Beratungen ist jetzt gelüftet. Noch 24 Stunden vorher hatten die Londoner Blätter von einer „historischen Überraschung“ geschrieben. Das einzige überraschende aber ist, daß die Beratungen nicht, wie ursprünglich angenommen und geplant war, in Washington, sondern in der Nähe von Casablanca in Französisch-Marokko stattfanden. Sachlich und inhaltlich unterschieden sich die Beratungen in nichts von der Konferenz, die vor genau einem Jahre in Washington stattgefunden hatte, wenn auch der äußere Rahmen groß aufgemacht sich im grellen Licht der Jupiterlampen vollzog. Roosevelt und Churchill können aber kaum erwarten, daß die Welt ihren Besprechungen irgend welche sensationelle Bedeutung beimißt.

Stalins Sessel bleibt leer

Wie vor einem Jahr wurde ein großer Stab von Militärs und Politikern aufgeboten. Wie vor einem Jahr versichert das im Anschluß an die Konferenz herausgegebene Kommuniqué, daß die gemeinsamen Generalstäbe die gesamte Kriegslage besprochen und alle Unterlagen für die Hilfsmittel „für eine besonders intensive Fortsetzung des Krieges“ geprüft hätten. Wie vor einem Jahr glänzten die Sowjets durch Abwesenheit, obwohl man sie auch dieses Mal aufgefordert hatte und so weit gegangen war, Stalin „einen bedeutend weiter östlichen Platz“ vorzuschlagen. Wie vor einem Jahr versichern Roosevelt und Churchill, „sie seien sich klar über die unerhörten Kriegslasten der Sowjetunion,“ und wie vor einem Jahr geloben sie,

…die Last der bolschewistischen Armeen dadurch zu erleichtern, daß sie sich an gewissenhaft gewählten Punkten in dem Kampf mit dem Feind einlassen werden.

Wie vor einem Jahr wird erklärt, daß sowohl Stalin wie Tschiangkaischek völlig auf dem laufenden gehalten wurden.

Das also ist die ganze „Sensation.“ Damit das Ergebnis aber nicht allzu mager ausfiel, wurden die landesflüchtigen Generale Giraud und de Gaulle unter Druck gesetzt, ebenfalls nach Casablanca beordert und gezwungen, eine Erklärung herauszugeben, indem sie ihren Willen zur Zusammenarbeit versichern. Nachdem man die beiden französischen Kampfhähne unter einen Hut gebracht hatte, von dem man nicht einmal weiß, ob er wieder hochgeht, setzten sich Roosevelt und Churchill noch einmal mit ihren Beratern zusammen und gaben kund und zu wissen, daß sie damit:

…ihre Pläne für die offensiven Aktionen im Jahre 1943 abgeschlossen hätten, die jetzt jeder für sich in die Tat umsetzen würde.

Wer unterwirft wen?

Roosevelt, der nun einmal Krieg im Hollywooder Stil führt und etwas für die Hebung der Stimmung im eigenen Lande tun muß, hat die Beratungen bei Casablanca die „Konferenz der bedingungslosen Unterwerfung“ getauft. Es steht nicht ganz fest, ob damit England gemeint war. Churchill war vorsichtiger und erklärte lediglich, er hätte noch nie einer „wichtigeren“ Konferenz beigewohnt.

Interessanter als diese nachträglichen Deklarationen, die dem blassen Kommuniqué nachdrücklich etwas Farbe verleihen sollen, ist die Zusammensetzung des Stabes, den Roosevelt und Churchill mit nach Marokko brachten. Auf englischer Seite war neben dem Ersten Seelord Sir Doucley Pound, dem Chef des Generalstabes Sir Allan Brooke, dem Luftmarschall Sir Charles Portal, dem Oberbefehlshaber im Mittleren Osten General Alexander und dem stellvertretenden Chef der britischen Luftwaffe, Luftmarschall Tedder, auch der Transportminister Lord Leathers anwesend. Das deutet darauf hin, daß der Unterseebootkrieg einen der Hauptpunkte der Beratungen bildete. Von amerikanischer Seite waren außer den drei Stabschefs Harry Hopkins und Harriman zugegen. Zur Berichterstattung hatten sich der General Eisenhower und der Chef der britischen Mittelmeerflotte Admiral Cunningham eingefunden. Schließlich wurde auch Roosevelts Vertreter, Murphy, heranzitiert, während der britische Sondergesandte MacMillan bezeichnenderweise nicht genannt wird.

Da die amerikanische Verfassung es dem Präsidenten verwehrt, ohne besondere Genehmigung des Kongresses ins Ausland zu reisen und von einer solchen Genehmigung nichts bekannt ist, so bleibt nur die Annahme übrig, daß Roosevelt Französisch-Marokko seelenruhig als amerikanisches Gebiet betrachtet. Churchill war also wiederum, genau wie in Washington, nur „Gast“ Roosevelts. Eine „Gastrolle“ ist es allerdings nicht mehr, die er spielen muß…

Verhandlungen hinter Stacheldraht

tc. Tanger, 27. Jänner –
Roosevelt und Churchill hielten ihre tägliche Konferenz in Casablanca hinter einem „riesigen Ring aus Stacheldraht“ ab, wie von dort berichtet wird. Der Konferenzort war ein Hotel in der Nähe von Casablanca. Ein Dutzend Villen, die das Hotel umgeben, war für die Kongreßteilnehmer beschlagnahmt und ebenfalls aufs stärkste militärisch gesichert worden.

In ihren Presseerklärungen beteuerten Roosevelt und Churchill die enge Freundschaft, die zwischen ihnen bestünde, und bedauerten mehrmals, daß kein Sowjetvertreter erschienen war.

Nach einer Reuter-Meldung hat sich auch Wendell Willkie zu der Besprechung in Casablanca geäußert. Er drückte seine Unzufriedenheit darüber aus, daß die Leiter der Sowjetunion und Tschungking-Chinas nicht anwesend waren und daß ein großer militärischer strategischer Rat nicht zustande gekommen sei. In einer Rundfunkansprache erklärte Willkie:

Vielleicht werden die Gerüchte über die Bildung eines großen strategischen Rates noch Wahrheit. Wir hatten gehofft, daß Stalin und Tschiangkaischek bei den Besprechungen anwesend sein würden.

[NormanStewart]

Hintergründe des Treffens in Casablanca –
Die Kriegführungsschwierigkeiten der USA.

dnb. Stockholm, 27. Jänner –
Die amerikanische Monatszeitschrift American Magazine bringt sieben in ihrer jüngsten Nummer eine Reihe an die amerikanische Öffentlichkeit gerichteter Botschaften führender USA.-Politiker, in denen diese teils rückblickende Betrachtungen über das vergangene Jahr anstellen, teils aber auch Voraussagen für 1943 machen.

„Unsere Gegner schlugen uns 1942 immer weiter zurück und ließen Sich in ihrem Vormarsch durch nichts aufhalten,“ stellte dabei unter anderem Marineminister Knox fest. Vor allem seien – so betont er – Fehler, wie man sie 1942 in allen Kriegsorganisationen der USA. gemacht habe, im neuen Jahr unbedingt zu vermeiden. Der Unterstaatssekretär im USA.-Kriegsministerium, Patterson, bemerkt: So verständlich auch die immer Wieder laut werdende Forderung nach größerer militärischer Aktivität sei, so müsse die Bevölkerung der Vereinigten Staaten doch die Transport- und Nachschubschwierigkeiten erkennen und in ihre Berechnungen einbeziehen. Der Vorsitzende der Kommission für den Arbeitereinsatz, MacNutt, stellt in seinem Beitrag fest, in den USA.:

…kratze man jetzt die letzten Reste des noch verbliebenen Menschenmaterials zusammen.

In der richtigen Weise für den Arbeitseinsatz und vor allem für die Arbeiterbeschaffung zu sorgen, sei eines der größten Probleme, vor denen die USA. 1943 stünden. Deshalb werde im neuen Jahr der Fraueneinsatz in den Rüstungsbetrieben und in der Landwirtschaft eine ganz besondere Rolle spielen.

Innenminister Harold Ickes erklärt: Der amerikanische Benzinmarkt habe seit Kriegseintritt der USA. turbulenteste Zeiten durchgemacht. Zahllose Tanker seien versenkt worden, das Verkehrswesen habe an der Atlantikküste schwerste Störungen erfahren und man habe schließlich zu einer allgemeinen Benzinrationierung greifen müssen. Gerade in der Treibstoffversorgung gehe man im neuen Jahre schweren Zeiten entgegen.

Die Lagebetrachtungen des USA.-Beauftragten für das Kriegstransportwesen Eastman, gipfelten in der Feststellung, daß die USA. vor gewaltigen Aufgaben stehen, die um so unlösbarer erscheinen müßten, als sich praktisch alle Gummifelder in den Händen des Feindes befänden. Dies werde um so mehr als ein schwerer Schlag in den USA. empfunden, als fast der gesamte Schiffsverkehr längs der Küste durch die ständigen U-Boot-Angriffe unterbrochen sei. Man habe den Schiffsverkehr durch den Panamakanal so gut wie stilllegen müssen und sei infolgedessen mehr als je auf den Auto- und Eisenbahnverkehr angewiesen. Aber auch den Eisenbahnverkehr könne man nicht nach Belieben ausdehnen, da es hier zur Verstärkung des Rollmaterials an den nötigen Rohstoffen fehle.

Während Roosevelt und Churchill sich in Casablanca trafen, um vor der Weltöffentlichkeit das Theater einer angeblichen Bereinigung ihrer Differenzen in Nordafrika zu spielen, werfen die von American Magazine aus den Federn maßgebender USA.-Politiker veröffentlichten Botschaften ein grelles Schlaglicht auf die mannigfachen ernsten Schwierigkeiten, in denen sich Roosevelt und sein Land heute mehr denn je befinden. Sie geben in Wahrheit den düsteren Hintergrund der allgemeinen Gegenwartslage der Vereinigten Staaten ab, vor dem die Begleitmusik der anglo-amerikanischen Publizistik zu dem mißglückten Zusammentreffen Roosevelts und Churchills in Casablanca nur wie leere Phrasen und wie der vergebliche Versuch wirken kann, die Völker Englands und der USA. über die nüchternen Tatsachen einer Kriegführung, die gegen ihre Regierungen spricht, mit billigen Mitteln hinwegzutäuschen.

[NormanStewart]

La Stampa (January 28, 1943)

Le attrezzature di Bona e Algeri bombardate

Un attacco appoggiato da carri armati e mezzi blindati contro le nostre posizioni in Tunisia respinto – Un piroscafo navigante in convoglio colpito da un nostro aerosilurante

Il Quartiere Generale delle Forze Armate ha comunicato nel pomeriggio di ieri il seguente bollettino N. 977:

Nella Tripolitania occidentale limitati soontri di opposti reparti motocorazzati.

Un attacco appoggiato da carri armati e puntate di mazzi blindati contro nostre posizioni nel settore tunisino venivano respinti. Nostri cacciatori distruggevano in combattimento un bimotore americano: tra membri dell’equipaggio sono stati catturati. Altri quattro apparecchi venivano incendiati al suolo dalla caccia germanica in riuscito attacco su un aeroporto avversarlo.

Formazioni di bombardieri Italiani hanno ripetutamente colpito le attrezzature di Bona e di Algeri. Con audace azione notturna, nel Mediterraneo occidentale un nostro aerosilurante centrava con siluro un piroscafo di medio tonnellaggio navigante in convoglio.

Nel pomeriggio di Ieri e questa notte quadrimotori nemici hanno tentato incursioni su Messina: la difesa contraerea ha impedito agli attaccanti di agire sull’abitato costringendoli a sganciare il carico di bombe in mare ed in località viciniori; danni non gravi. Due dai velivoli, raggiunti dal tiro delle artiglierie, precipitavano uno a levante di S. Ranieri e l’altro a ponente di Pellaro.

Stamane poco prima dell’alba un aereo ha sorvolato Napoli lanciando da altissima quota alcune bombe cadute nei pressi di Torre del Greco: due case coloniche risultano colpite e due feriti sono segnalati tra l coloni. Non ha fatto ritorno alla base un nostro velivolo.

[NormanStewart]

Il convegno di Casablanca –
Nessun problema risolto in dieci giorni di colloquii

La stampa britannica manifesta la sua delusione e deplora l’assenza degli alleati rosso e cinese

Lisbona, 27 gennaio –
A conferma dei gravi dissidi e delle difficoltà della situazione in Africa settentrionale, si apprende oggi che Roosevelt e Churchill, accompagnati dai rispettivi Stati Maggiori, si sono incontrati a Casablanca, dove avevano convocato anche De Gaulle e Giraud per imporre loro di mettersi d’accordo.

La conferenza, che è durata dieci giorni, ha dato luogo ad un nutrito scambio di messaggi con Stalin e Ciang Kai Scek, i quali, pur essendo stati invitati a parteciparvi, risposero di non potersi assentare dai loro paesi.

Dopo l’incontro, Churchill ha espresso il suo rincrescimento per il fatto che Stalin e Ciang Kai Scek non fossero presenti; lo stesso vivo disappunto è stato d’altra parte espresso pubblicamente anche da Wandell Willkie. Anche i quotidiani londinesi Daily Mail e News Chronicle insistono su questo punto. Nella stampa britannica tutto è relegato in secondo piano. Sono, in generale, telegrammi descrittivi, che parlano del sole e delle bianche case del Marocco, ma dicono molto poco delle decisioni prese. Del resto, anche i comunicati ufficiali sono vaghi e si esprimono in termini generali, di modo che i commenti dei giornali sono, essi stessi, poco precisi, accontentandosi di dare lunghe parafrasi dei comunicati e delle dichiarazioni. Ma dietro a tutto questo – nota la Reuter – sembra si nasconda una delusione generale, pel fatto che i grandi problemi, che tutto il mondo sperava di veder regolati, sembra non lo siano stati. Il News Chronicle ed il Daily Herald esprimono apertamente tale delusione.

Il Times riconosce, altresì, che un accordo completo fra Giraud e De Gaulle non è stato raggiunto, ed aggiunge:

Casablanca non sarebbe certamente stata scelta come luogo per la riunione, se questo dissidio non avesse costituito la immediata preoccupazione della conferenza. Dalla rapida espulsione del nemico dai suoi ripari in Tunisia dipende la possibilità di ogni piano per l’assalto alla fortezza europea nel 1943, e nulla è più suscettibile di ritardare questa vitale tappa preliminare, che la continuazione dei malintesi tra gli alleati sulle linee di comunicazione africane.

D’altra parte il Times ritiene che i piani alleati possono essere messi in esecuzione, con probabilità di successo, soltanto se la minaccia dei sommergibili verrà finalmente dominata.

Il Daily Herald parla più chiaramente:

Cosa è che la conferenza non ha compiuto? Essa non ha certamente realizzato le profezie venute da Washington da una settimana e più. Il gran consiglio strategico delle quattro nazioni alleate non è nato. Nè una parola è detta nel comunicato circa il coordinamento degli scopi degli alleati per il dopo-guerra. Una altra speranza non realizzata è che la conferenza avrebbe eliminato le difficoltà politiche, nette quali gli alleati si trovano in seguito alla loro occupazione dell’Africa settentrionale francese.

In quanto al News Chronicle esso disapprova il fatto che la conferenza abbia avuto luogo in Africa, perchè ritiene che:

…nessuno dei risultati ottenuti giustifica questo spostamento. Tutte le questioni discusse potevano esserlo altrove che in Africa del Nord. Una stretta di mano scambiata fra Giraud e De Gaulle non pub aver regolato la situazione.

(Stefani)

[NormanStewart]

U.S. Navy Department (January 28, 1943)

Communiqué No. 264

North Pacific.
On January 28, two Japanese float planes attacked U.S. ships operating to the westward of our positions in the Aleutian Islands. No damage was suffered.

South Pacific.
On January 26, U.S. troops on Guadalcanal Island continued to advance to the west despite stiff enemy resistance. Forty Japanese were killed and 5 prisoners and some enemy equipment were captured.

[NormanStewart]

Brooklyn Eagle (January 28, 1943)

Allies hold war council may speed Europe invasion

Study move to put Roosevelt-Churchill plans in operation

London, England (UP) –
U.S. and British military leaders held a council of war at Allied North Africa headquarters today and discussed means of putting into execution on the fighting fronts the broad strategic plans made at the Casablanca Conference between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

The best military brains of the two nations were represented in the War Council that took place almost within the sound of guns booming on the Tunisian front.

There were reports in military circles here today that the Allied commanders in North Africa were working on a definite plan for an assault on Europe this year. Some sources said the invasion of Europe was considered such an urgent matter it might even be given precedence over the campaign against the Axis in Tunisia.

Highest officers confer

The United States was represented by Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff; Lt. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Allied North African commander; Lt. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, commanding the U.S. Army Air Forces; Adm. Ernest J. King, U.S. naval commander; Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, of the Services of Supply, and W. Averell Harriman, Lend-Lease official.

For Great Britain: Gen. Harold R. L. G. Alexander, British commander for the Middle East; Vice Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten, Chief of Combined Operations; Adm. Sir Dudley Pound; Field Marshal Sir John Dill; Lt. Gen. Sir Hastings L. Ismay and Air Vice Mshl. Inglis.

It was understood considerable discussion was given to the immediate plans for the attempt to drive Marshal Erwin Rommel and Gen. Jurgen von Arnim off the narrow bridgehead which the Axis still holds on the North African shore.

Roosevelt commends troops

While the Allied military chiefs were still discussing the place and time of the next blow at the Axis, President Roosevelt sent a message to U.S. troops in North Africa, praising their conduct and equipment.

The message said, in part:

I return to the United States with renewed confidence that American soldiers, equipped with the best equipment the world can produce and led by men who have proven themselves in battle, shall be victorious. Officers and men of the Armed forces of North Africa, I commend you.

Allied air attacks continued, and on Tuesday night bombers struck at Bizerte, the big Axis base in Tunisia. U.S. Billy Mitchell bombers left one Axis destroyer burning between Sicily and Tunisia and damaged another. One Allied plane was missing from yesterday’s operations.

Axis fears for Rommel

The British 8th Army continued to pursue the Afrika Korps through northwestern Tripolitania and Axis radios reiterated their fears that U.S. forces in Tunisia were about to start an offensive designed to cut off the retreat of Rommel’s forces.

The U.S. Army 9th Air Force in Cairo announced in a communiqué that on Tuesday night Liberator bombers attacked Sicilian harbors. Bomb bursts were observed on all target areas and all U.S. planes returned safely.

The Nazi Radio Vichy said the Americans were driving between Gabes, 100 miles from the Tunisian-Tripolitanian border, and Sfax, 63 airline miles above Gabes.

The Middle Eastern Command announced today the 8th Army fought the Afrika Korps’ rearguard yesterday in the area of Sabratha, 40 miles southwest of Tripoli, and 56 miles from Tunisia.

Allied successes in the Kairouan area and northwest of Gabes had lent substance to Axis fears that a big drive as impending against the German-Italian bridgehead in Tunisia.

Dispatches from Allied North African headquarters said the initiative in the Ousseltia area, northeast of Kairouan, had passed from the Germans to the Allies in the last three days, and the enemy had suffered terrible losses in taking positions the French and Americans were now wresting back.

Report 1,258 American casualties in Tunisia

Washington (UP) –
American casualties in Tunisia thus far total 1,258, including 211 killed, 532 wounded and 515 missing, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson said today. Of the missing, 228 were reported to be prisoners.

[NormanStewart]

RAF pounds Düsseldorf in 51st raid of war

Huge fires reported – U.S. joins attacks along 1,000-mile front

…

[NormanStewart]

House group opens hearings Tuesday on pay-as-you-go

…

[NormanStewart]

Boro rises to defense of jukebox – the ‘noise’ is music to its ears

Patriotic, jive tunes hit spot despite critic
By William E. Dunn

…

[NormanStewart]

Editorial: MacArthur and airpower

…

[NormanStewart]

The Pittsburgh Press (January 28, 1943)

Roving Reporter

By Ernie Pyle

A forward airdrome in North Africa – (Jan. 27)
Nine American boys have just had a unique baptism of war. They left America very recently on a bomber, bound for the African front. They arrived here a little later, by camelback, after a series of incredible adventures, including a battle with German fighter planes. Here is the story.

A Flying Fortress, commanded by Lt. Harry Devers of Martinsburg, West Virginia, took off from America during the holidays and flew without incident across the Atlantic and to the coast of Africa. Devers’ crew of eight was composed of Lt. Richard Banning, of Britt, Louisiana, co-pilot; Lt. Charles Watt of Jacobsburg, Ohio, navigator; Lt. Victor Coveno of 11002 Woodland Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, and five sergeant-gunners – W. K. Thames of Fayetteville, North Carolina; Joseph Obradovich of Lacrosse, Wisconsin; Richard Hasbrough of Brooklyn, New York; Harry Alsaker of Montana, and Robert Oheron of Cresline, Ohio.

After landing in Africa, they took off one recent morning and formed up with two other Fortresses for the last lap of their journey to war. They headed for the designated airdrome at the front where they were to report for action. They flew all day, and when they arrived where they thought the field should be, they couldn’t find it. So, they flew on and kept hunting. The afternoon wore on and dusk grew near.

Suddenly, out of a blank sky, two fighters dived on them. Bullets began to spatter. That was how those youngsters, fresh from America, discovered that they had wandered into enemy territory. What a fine way to start their war!

Devers’ crew began shooting back, but the fighters switched to one of the other Forts, which soon circled downward and disappeared, apparently shot down. It has not been heard from since.

The two remaining planes lost the Germans in the dusk. One made a crash landing. Devers circled over it and was given a signal not to land. Several days later, American reconnaissance planes discovered this Fortress being towed along the road, headed for Italian territory. They dived at it, guns going and set it afire.

That account for two of the Forts and gets us down to our friends mentioned above.

They were alone in the air now and they headed back west to get away from the enemy. It was dark, and they still couldn’t find the airdrome to which they were being sent, so they flew far south to make sure of getting away from the mountains. They went up to 11,000 feet, flew until their gas was gone, and then jumped.

Devers gave them all instructions before they jumped. They were flying south and he would be the last man out, so he would start walking north and all the others were to head south. The plan worked. Eight of the nine found each other within half an hour. Lt. Coveno landed in a gully half a mile away from the meeting place and spent the night there, rejoining the others next morning.

That first night they all slept on the ground, wrapped in their parachutes. They didn’t know whether they were in enemy territory or not.

At dawn an old Arab came wandering past. He was a nomadic shepherd, and he spoke neither English nor French. But he was wonderful to these boys. He led them northward, and they walked all day, covering 20 miles. Again that night they slept in their ‘chutes, and they almost froze.

The second morning they came across a caravan of 15 camels. In charge of them was an Arabian enlisted man in the French Army. He was touring the desert buying camels for the French. This Arab took the boys along with him. They learned later that he thought they were Italian parachutists and that he was capturing them.

They rode camels for two days – and they never wanted to see another camel. They had to ride bareback, and they said a camel’s back would make an excellent razor blade. They rode till they couldn’t bear it any longer, and then got off and walked. But the sand was so deep they couldn’t walk either, so they had to get back on their desert chariots.

For two days and nights they traveled by camelback across the bare sands. There were no trails, no roads. On the morning of the fourth day, they came upon a French desert garrison and there they were able to identify themselves for the first time, as Devers speaks some French.

The French officers put them to bed and arranged for a truck to take them to a meeting place with an American truck. So, finally, at the end of the fifth day, they arrived at the airdrome they had hunted so desperately five nights before.

They were tired, but not in bad shape. They were still animated, and willingly told the story over and over. We finally had to make them go to bed, at 10 o’clock.

A good sleep was too much for them. The next morning, they felt washed out and weary. Some of them were even sick at their stomachs. But in a day or two they will be normal again, when their excitement over being alive quiets down a bit.

[NormanStewart]

Völkischer Beobachter (January 29, 1943)

Englands Besorgnisse dauern an –
U-Boot-Gefahr überdeckt das Casablanca-Theater

vb. Wien, 28. Jänner –
Bemerkenswert ist die Reuter-Meldung, daß „die britische Presse am Donnerstag ihre Leitartikel der die anglo-amerikanischen Kriegsanstrengungen bedrohenden U-Boot-Gefahr widmet.“ Das Thema von Casablanca wird also überdeckt durch die deutschen U-Boote, über die bekanntlich das Kommuniqué von Casablanca sich ausschweigt. Daß dazu die jüngste deutsche Sondermeldung über die versenkten 103.000 BRT. wesentlich beigetragen hat, liegt auf der Hand.

Der Evening Standard knüpft an die „Initiative“ an, von der, wie das Blatt meint, gerade jetzt auf englisch-amerikanischer Seite so viel gesprochen werde. In einem Krieg wie dem gegenwärtigen, halte diejenige Partei die Initiative fest in der Hand, die über neuartige Waffen verfüge. Hier lägen die Deutschen weit in Führung, denn gegen die U-Boote, die sie neuerdings erfunden hätten, besäßen die Anglo-Amerikaner noch kein Mittel. Gleichzeitig befänden sich Flottenstützpunkte in Händen Deutschlands, von denen aus sie ihre U-Boot-Angriffe mit sehr großem Erfolg auf die britisch-amerikanische Versorgungsschiffahrt unternähmen. Die Erfolge aber, die der Gegner im Seekrieg erziele, seien entscheidend. Das dürfe man nicht übersehen, zumal eine Blockade des europäischen Festlandes Sich inzwischen als illusorisch herausgestellt habe.

Auch der Manchester Guardian spricht ebenso wie die Daily Mail von der anhaltenden Besorgnis, daß man nichts von neuen gemeinschaftlichen Maßnahmen gegen die U-Boote gehört habe. In der Öffentlichkeit würde man es bedeutend mehr begrüßt haben, wenn man von Casablanca aus einer feste Zusicherung über die U-Boot-Bekämpfung erhalten hätte.

„Die Front auf den Heeren“

Der Kampf auf den Meeren rückt auch in den neutralen Ländern wiederum stark in den Vordergrund. So schreibt unter dem Titel „Die dritte Front“ Yunus Nadi in der Istanbuler „Republique,“ daß man neben den Ereignissen an der Ostfront und in Nordafrika die seit Beginn dieses neuen Weltkrieges existierende Front auf den Meeren vergesse. Es sei unzweifelhaft, daß unter den großen Problemen, die zwischen Churchill und Roosevelt besprochen wurden, eines der wichtigsten die Gefahr sei, die die Achse auf den Meeren darstelle. Amerika gebe selbst zu, daß die USA. und England einen monatlichen Schiffsraumverlust von einer Million Bruttoregistertonnen erlitten.

Alle Welt und in erster Linie Deutschland und England wüßten, daß der deutsche U-Boot-Krieg im vergangenen Weltkrieg die Gegner fast auf die Knie gezwungen hätte. Nun aber sei es klar, daß Deutschlands Lage diesmal viel günstiger sei als im vorigen Weltkrieg. Die U-Boote würden heute von der Luftwaffe unterstützt. An Deutschlands Seite kämpften die Seemächte Italien und Japan, und Deutschland stände heute die europäische Küste- von Narvik bis Spanien und zum Mittelmeer zur Verfügung. Amerika und England hätten Tausende von Seemeilen bis zu den Schlachtfeldern zurückzulegen, und ein versprengter oder zur Hälfte versenkter Geleitzug sei wie eine. verlorene Schlacht. Nicht nur der versenkte Schiffsraum fehle, sondern noch viel mehr die kostbare Ladung. Hinzu komme der Verlust an hochqualifizierten Seeleuten, die eine längere Ausbildung benötigten als Flieger.

Yunus Nadi stellt abschließend fest, daß die anglo-amerikanischen Anstrengungen nicht genügten, um den zunehmenden Möglichkeiten des Angriffs der Achsen-­U-Boote mit Erfolg zu begegnen.

Französisch-Nordafrika spürt Roosevelts „Hand“

dnb. Algeciras, 28. Jänner –
Die wirtschaftliche Lage in Französisch-Marokko hat sich in der letzten Zeit erheblich verschlechtert. Bei ihrer Landung in Französisch-Marokko haben weder die Nordamerikaner noch die englischen Truppen Lebensmittel in größeren Ausmaßen mit Sich geführt. Sie waren daher vom ersten Tag auf Requisition angewiesen. Die Getreidevorräte, die sich in der Nähe der Stadt befanden, und die Lager von Trockengemüse und Trockenkonserven wurden sofort nach der Landung beschlagnahmt. Darüber hinaus haben die Nordamerikaner sogleich mit weiteren Requisitionen begonnen, um Lebensmittelvorräte anzulegen. Diese Requisitionen sind sehr bedeutend und entsprechen ungefähr dem Doppelten der gesamten jährlichen Lebensmittelausfuhr Marokkos nach Frankreich. Zu diesen Beschlagnahmungen kam noch ein besonders von den Engländern stark forcierter Aufkauf von Gemüsen, Wein, Tabak, Südfrüchten und getrockneten Früchten.

Durch die britisch-nordamerikanische Besetzung ist bei den Eingeborenen ein erheblicher Mangel an Lebensmitteln entstanden. Die Versorgung aus Überschußgebieten ist dadurch unmöglich geworden, da Benzin nur für militärische Fahrzeuge abgegeben wird und für den zivilen Transport nicht mehr zur Verfügung steht. Wenn auch die Städte und die landwirtschaftlich schwächeren Gebiete noch nicht von einer Hungersnot unmittelbar bedroht sind, so ergeben sich doch bereits sehr empfindliche Störungen im wirtschaftlichen Verkehr.

Ein Dorf wird ausgerottet

Im Dorf Balta bei Souk el Kamis in Französisch-Nordafrika erschien am 16. Jänner ein nordamerikanischer Offizier mit sieben Mann, um unter den dort lebenden Arabern eine Zwangsrekrutierung durchzuführen. Die Araber leisteten gegen die von den Nordamerikanern beabsichtigte Pressung zum Heeresdienst Widerstand. Der nordamerikanische Offizier erteilte hierauf den Befehl zur Eröffnung des Feuers gegen die Eingeborenen, wobei 14 Araber erschossen wurden, über die Hinschlachtung der 14 Araber empört, sammelte sich eine große Anzahl von Arabern aus der Gegend, überwältigten die nordamerikanischen Soldaten und töteten sie. Auf Befehl des nordamerikanischen Kommandanten wurde hierauf gegen das Dorf Balta eine Strafexpedition durchgeführt, bei der Männer, Frauen und Kinder von den Nordamerikanern erschossen wurden.

[NormanStewart]

La Stampa (January 29, 1943)

Intensa attività esplorativa in Tunisia

La Valletta bombardata da formazioni aeree – 6 apparecchi nemici abbattuti – Il piroscafo colpito dal nostro aerosilurante è affondato

Il comunicato tedesco Il Quartiere Generate delie Forze Armate ha diramato nel pomeriggio du ieri il seguènte bollettino numero 978:

In Tripolitania, nessuna azione di rilievo. La caccia germanica abbatteva in combattimento cinque «Curtiss».

Intensa attività esplorativa da ambo le parti in Tunisia, ove mezzi corazzati nemici venivano respiriti dal tiro delle artiglierie. La base navale di La Valletta (Malta) è stata bombardata da una nostra formazione aerea.

Apparecchi britannici hanno sorvolato Rocella Marina, Siderno e Giolosa (Reggio Calabria) lanciando alcuni spezzoni e mitragliando due treni; un morto e tredici feriti, tutti colpiti da pallottole esplosive.

Sono stati purs mitragliati un treno tra Cassibile e Avola (Siracusa), e la stazione di Brolo (Messina); vengono segnalati un morto e alcuni feriti.

Sulla rotabile Vittorie-Ragusa, altro apparecchio sparava raffiche di mitragliatrice, ma centrato dal tiro contraereo, precipitava in fiamme:

Dalle varie missioni belliche, due nostri velivoli non sono rientrati.

Il piroscafo nemico di medio tonnellaggio, citato ieri nel Bollettino come colpito da un aereo silurante (capo equipaggio, tenente pilota Battista Mura) risulta affondato.

Le perdite nordamericane in Tunisia secondo Washington

Buenos Aires, 28 gennaio –
Il ministro della guerra statunitense Stimson ha comunicato oggi che le perdite nordamericane in Tunisia ammontano già a 1258 uomini.

Il comunicato Tedesco

Berlino, 28 gennaio –
Circa le operazioni sui fronti africano e mediterraneo, il comunicato diramato dal Quartier generale del Führer reca:

Nell’Africa Settentrionale, vivace attività di pattuglie da ambo le parti.

Il porto di Algeri è stato nuovamente e gravemente colpito dall’arma aerea: un mercantile e un deposito di carburante sono stati inoendiati.

Al confini tra la Tunisia e la Libia, cacciatori germanici hanno disperso una formazione da caccia nemica, abbattendo senza subire perdite, cinque velivoli avversari.

Quattro navi di un convoglio affondate nell’Atlantico

Lisbona, 28 gennaio –
Il dipartimento della marina americana annuncia da Washington che, nei primi giorni di gennaio, tre navi di medio tonnellaggio ed una piccola unità della flotta mercantile americana sono state affondate dai sommergibili dell’Asse nell’Atlantico, davanti alle coste settentrionali dell’America meridionale.

Le navi affondate facevano parte di un convoglio.

[NormanStewart]

U.S. Navy Department (January 29, 1943)

Communiqué No. 265

South Pacific.
On January 27:

1. Ground operations on Guadalcanal Island resulted in the capture of a large, well-established enemy command post. Thirty-six Japanese were killed and 3 prisoners and a large amount of enemy equipment were captured. In other sectors 2 pockets of enemy resistance were wiped out.

2. During the morning, enemy dive bombers and high-level bombers, escorted by fighters, approached Guadalcanal. U.S. fighters engaged the enemy planes and incomplete reports indicate that nine Zeros were destroyed and six others probably destroyed. The enemy planes dropped no bombs. Four U.S. planes are missing.

3. A force of Marauder (Martin B-26) medium bombers, with Airacobra (Bell P-39) escort, bombed enemy installations on Kolombangara Island in the New Georgia group. A large fire was started. All U.S. planes returned.

4. During the evening, a force of Dauntless (Douglas) dive bombers and Avenger (Grumman TBF) torpedo planes with Wildcat (Grumman F4F) escort attacked an enemy destroyer and a cargo ship in the Vella Gulf. Two direct hits were scored on the cargo ship which was left sinking. Bombs fell close to the destroyer which was left smoking.

On January 28: During the afternoon, a force of Dauntless dive bombers and Avenger torpedo planes with Lightning (Lockheed P-38) escort attacked Japanese ships about 15 miles northeast of Kolombangara Island. A torpedo hit caused a large explosion on an enemy destroyer. One bomb hit and several near hits were scored on a cargo ship and near hits on a tanker were observed. The cargo ship and tanker were left dead in the water. The tanker was last seen smoking. One of the four enemy Zeros which intercepted was shot down. All U.S. planes returned.

[NormanStewart]

Brooklyn Eagle (January 29, 1943)

U.S. fliers devastate Sfax

Heaviest raid fires Tunisia port – zero hour near in Africa

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[NormanStewart]

U.S. aces down 10 more Zeros on Guadalcanal

Six others possibly destroyed – blast 5 Jap ships in area

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[NormanStewart]

Giraud political pact near, says de Gaullist

But Algiers dispatches claim 2 leaders declare subject is ‘out for duration’

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[NormanStewart]

WAIT DETAILS OF ROOSEVELT’S BRAZIL VISIT
Say President stopped to tour Dakar

Meets Liberia head – Vargas will reveal full story of talks

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