Flynn goes successful
President withdraws his nomination as Australian envoy
…
DOROTHY THOMPSON SAYS —
Unconditional surrender
By Dorothy Thompson
When the President in his press conference at Casablanca announced that the United Nations’ war aim toward the Axis was “unconditional surrender,” he made a reference to Gen. Grant, who, in the American Civil War, had made the same demand on the leaders of the South. Gen. Grant, said the President, was known as “Unconditional Surrender Grant.”
The analogy is thought-provoking. Gen. Grant was fighting a civil war – not an international war. The issue in that war was the right of the Southern states to secede from the American Union. Slavery was a secondary issue. The basic principle involved was the authority of the Constitution throughout all the states of America. Before Gen. Lee was called on to surrender, the Emancipation Proclamation had already freed the slaves.
There could be not the slightest doubt, on the part of the leaders of the South, as to the exact meaning of “unconditional surrender.” It means that the South rejoin the Union and submit to its Constitution and its laws. It meant that the Southern Confederacy be dissolved, and its parts reintegrated into the United States of America.
Therefore, Gen. Lee knew what he was doing when he surrendered “unconditionally.” Actually, it was not, in essence, an unconditional surrender, for if the conditions were not to be negotiated, the principles governing those conditions were clear.
If one were to pursue this analogy to its logical conclusion, “unconditional surrender” would mean that the nations of the Axis would have to abandon their attempt to secede from the principles of civilization governing the rest of the world, and join the United Nations, for a world governed by law.
But one cannot pursue this analogy to such a logical conclusion because there is no world governed by law, and there never has been. Nations are still considered as sovereign bodies, what has been called “international law” is merely agreements or treaties amongst sovereign nations which can be unilaterally denounced, broken, or changed: no force exists, or has ever existed, to create, supervise or enforce any law above nations. And there is no indication in any official utterances of the President or Mr. Churchill that we intend to create such supranational institutions. “Unconditional surrender” in this case, therefore, means surrender without condition of some nations to other nations – not surrender to a Constitution.
There are two factors in such a demand. There is the party upon which it is made and there is the party that makes it.
The demand is made upon the governments and peoples of the Axis. Since unconditional surrender means, according to statements which are official, that the present government of Germany will be displaced and that its members will be tried as war criminals, “unconditional surrender” means for them, suicide. The terms are, therefore, impossible of acceptance for the present governments.
But the terms also seem to rule out any possibility of a palace revolution in Germany, at least. Mr. Churchill has apparently modified the terms for Italy, for he has said:
One man, and one man alone, stands in the way of peace.
But any group of Germans, realizing the disaster to Germany, and planning to overthrow the Nazi regime – should such a group exist – will hardly, under these conditions, undertake such a risk and responsibility. A revolution which comes into power only to give away its power the next moment, in an unconditional surrender to other outside powers, does not make sense.
But there is another factor to be considered. Stalin has not demanded “unconditional surrender.” Had he done so, the demand would have had a definite meaning for one group of Germans – namely, the German communists. In their minds, the analogy approximates that of the American Civil War. In the minds of German communists, “unconditional surrender” means the total defeat of fascism, the beginning of the social revolution, and the opportunity to join the Soviet Union, as an integral and equal part of it.
But there is nothing to indicate that “unconditional surrender” to the Western powers means the integration of a democratic Germany, as an equal member of the democratic world.
The demand for “unconditional surrender” imposes a supreme obligation upon those who make it. We are asking the German nation and people to deliver themselves unconditionally into our hands. To consent to that means to divest themselves of all responsibility upon us. The question for us is, therefore: Are we prepared for this responsibility? Do we know what we intend to so with an unconditionally-surrendered Germany?
And who is “we”? The President? The State Department? Mr. Churchill?
Again, I say that we had better get some principles for the reconstruction of Europe, and get them quick. For unconditional surrender, under these conditions, can only come as unconditional breakdown. And, unless there are some principles to fill a vacuum, chaos will fill it.
‘Slackerism’ among war workers assailed
Portland, Maine (UP) –
Roane Waring, national commander of the American Legion, believes immediate steps should be taken to stop “slackerism” among the workers.
He said in a speech last night that:
The American Legion places the life and security of the fighting men at the front above all other considerations.
No strike and no shutdown, regardless of the number of citizens, is worth the life and blood of one soldier.
Waring urged that war production be speeded up by checking on work shelters, elimination of many age limit restrictions and stopping of unessential production.
WAVE becomes WAAC because of regulation
Los Angeles, California (UP) –
Mrs. Helene Hall, 22, blonde and attractive, today claimed the distinction of being the first WAVE to become a WAAC.
Mrs. Hall traded her navy-blue uniform for the khaki of the WAACs because her husband enlisted in the Navy.
She told the WAAC recruiting officers that her husband was a seaman, while she was a yeoman, third class. The WAVES gave her an honorable discharge, she said, because of a regulation excluding women whose husbands belong to the same branch of the service in a lesser capacity. The WAACs accepted her.
The Pittsburgh Press (February 1, 1943)
Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
A forward airdrome in French North Africa – (Jan. 31)
The American soldier is a born housewife, I’ve become convinced. I’ll bet there’s not another army in the world that fixes itself a “home away from home” as quickly as ours does. I’ve seen the little home touches created by our soldiers in their barns and castles and barracks and tents all over America, Ireland, England and Africa. But nowhere has this sort of thing given such a play as here at one of our desert airdromes.
The reason is twofold: First, the climate here is so dry you can fix up something with a fair certainty that it won’t be washed away in the morning. Second, because of the constant danger of a German bashing, the boys have dug into the ground to make their homes, and the things they can do with a cave were endless, as every farm boy knows.
The basic shelter here is a pup tent, but the soldiers have dug holes and set their tents over these. And the accessories inside provide one of the greatest shows on earth. Wandering among them is better than going to a state fair. The variations are infinite.
There are a few fantastically elaborate two- and three-room apartments underground. One officer has dug his deep slit trench right inside his tent, at the foot of his bed. He has even lined the trench with blankets so he can lie six feet below ground under canvas and sleep during a raid. The finest homes are made by those who are lucky enough to get or borrow the covered-wagon ribs and canvas from a truck. They dug a hole and plant the canopy over the top.
Some of them have places fixed like sheiks’ palaces. On the dirt floors are mats bought from Arabs in a nearby village. Some have electric lights hooked to batteries. One man bought a two-burner gasoline stove from some Frenchman for $3.20. On it he and his buddies heat water for washing and fry an occasional egg. Furthermore, they have rigged up a shield from a gasoline tin and fitted it over the stove so that it channels the heat sideways and warms the tent at night.
An officer whose bedroll lies flat on the ground dug a hole two feet deep beside this ‘‘bed” so he can let his legs hang over the side normally when he sits on the bed. Many dugouts have pictures of girls back home hanging on the walls. A few boys have papered their bare walls with Arab straw mats.
One evening I stuck my nose into the dugout of Sgt. Ray Aalto, 4732 Oakton Street, Skokie, Illinois. He is an ordnance man now, caring for the guns on airplanes, but before the war he was a steam-boiler man. Aalto has one thing nobody else in camp has. He has built a fireplace inside his dugout. He has tunneled into one end of the dugout, lined the hole with gasoline tins, and made a double-jointed chimney so that no sparks nor light can show. He wishes his wife could see him now.
The deepest and most comfortable dugout I’ve seen was built by four boys in the ground crew of a fighter squadron. It is five feet deep, and on each side, they left a ledge wide enough for two bedding rolls, making two double beds. You enter by a long L-shaped trench, with steps leading down the first part of the L. At the door is a double set of blackout curtains. Inside they have rigged up candles and flashlights with blackout hoods.
Most of the soldiers go to bed an hour or so after dark, because the camp is blacked out and there’s nothing else to do. Only those with blackout lights in their dugouts can stay up and read or play cards or talk. These four boys have dug a square hole in the wall of their dugout and fitted into it a gasoline tin with a door lock, making a perfect wall safe for cigarettes, chocolates, etc. Their dugout is so deep they can stay in it during a raid. In fact, they don’t even get out of bed.
It took the four of them three days, working every minute of their spare time, to dig their hole and fix it up. The four are Pvt. Neil Chamblee of Zebulon, North Carolina, Pvt. W. T. Minges of Gastonia, North Carolina, Sgt. Robert Cook of Montpelier, Indiana, and Sgt. Richard Hughes of Weiner, Arkansas. Sgt. Hughes was especially pleased that I came around, because his mother had written him that I was in Africa and that she hoped our paths would cross, but he never supposed they would.
I believe a character analyst could walk around this camp and learn more than you could by having the boys fill out a thousand questionnaires. Hundreds of boys have done nothing at all to their tents, but I believe at least half of them have added some home touch. A fellow doesn’t think of these things and work his head off on his own time creating them unless he’s got a real lively ingenuity in him.
Völkischer Beobachter (February 2, 1943)
Im Jänner 522.000 BRT. versenkt Neuer japanischer Seesieg
Das Versenkungsergebnis des Jänner 1942 weit übertroffen Bei den Salomonen 2 USA.-Schlachtschiffe und 3 Kreuzer vernichtet
vb. Wien, 1. Februar –
Die Mitteilung des deutschen Wehrmachtberichts, daß es den deutschen Unterseebooten selbst unter den außergewöhnlich schwierigen Wetterumständen des Jänner gelungen ist, 63 feindliche Handelsschiffe mit 408.000 BRT. zu versenken, zeigt klar, warum in den letzten Wochen täglich in der englischen und amerikanischen Presse die U-Boot-Gefahren heraus gestellt werten. Trotz der schweren, oft orkanartigen Stürme konnten die Unterseeboote mehr versenken als im Jänner des vergangenen Jahres, als sie den ersten Überraschungsschlag vor der USA.-Küste führten, der vom Wetter begünstigt war und außerdem auf eine noch unerfahrene Abwehr stieß. Unter Hinzuzählung der Luftwaffen erfolge betrug das gesamte Versenkungsergebnis im Jänner 1943 nunmehr 522.000 BRT. gegenüber 400.800 BRT. vor einem Jahr. Gleichzeitig kann unser japanischer Verbündeter wieder den Sieg in einer großen Luft- und Seeschlacht bei den Salomonen melden, die die USA.-Flotte allein an Totalverlusten zwei Schlachtschiffe und drei Kreuzer gekostet hat. Der sehr ernste Ton, den der einst so vorlaute USA.-Marineminister Knox jetzt nach der Rückkehr von einer Inspektionsreise über die Lage im Atlantik und Pazifik angeschlagen hat, beweist besonders deutlich, wie hart die Dreierpaktmächte in diesem erdumspannenden Seekrieg zuschlagen.
Der deutsche Unterseebootkrieg richtet sich gegen die für unsere Feinde unentbehrlichen Seeverbindungen. Die englische und amerikanische Presse ist in der letzten Zeit nicht müde geworden, ihren Lesern nach langer Illusionsmache endlich zu schildern, was es bedeutet, wenn die deutschen U-Boote nicht nur die Versorgung der Insel England stark beeinträchtigt haben, sondern ihre Wirksamkeit auch gegen alle militärischen Unternehmungen unserer Feinde zeigen, die nun einmal in jedem Falle von den Nachschubwegen über See abhängig sind. Die Vernichtung einem überlegenen Gegner diesen Wider des großen Tankergeleitzuges für die Truppen Eisenhowers in Nordafrika im Jänner ist dafür ein sinnfälliges Beispiel. Aber auch Nachschub für die englischen Truppen in Ägypten und Libyen und für die Sowjets ist auch im Jänner wieder in erheblichem Maße getroffen worden, allen Naturgewalten zum Trotz.
Das deutsche Monatsergebnis an Versenkungen ist, wie stets, sehr vorsichtig gerechnet. Die beschädigten Schiffe sind darin nicht eingerechnet. Allein durch Torpedos der Unterseeboote sind zehn weitere Dampfer getroffen worden, deren Untergang wegen der Abwehr nicht beobachtet werden konnte. In den Sturmtagen des Winters dürfte von diesen torpedierten Dampfern, die ein riesiges Leck erhielten, kaum einer in einen Hafen gelangt sein. Dazu kommen die von der Luftwaffe in großer Zahl beschädigten Dampfer, übrigens ist bei den bedeutenden Versenkungserfolgen der Luftwaffe zu berücksichtigen, daß auch die italienischen Kameraden, besonders die Torpedoflugzeuge, noch zusätzlich eine ansehnliche Erfolgsliste vorzuweisen haben an Versenkungen wie an Beschädigungen feindlicher Handels- und Transportschiffe im Mittelmeer.
Wie die USA.-Flotte zerschmettert wurde
dnb. Tokyo, 1. Februar –
Zur Sondermeldung über die neue Seeschlacht bei den Salomonen, die am Montag durch Marineminister Schimada in der Sitzung des Oberhauses bekanntgegeben wurde, erfährt Domei aus der Marine nahestehenden Kreisen folgende Einzelheiten:
Am 29. Jänner war der Himmel über den Salomonen mit dichten Wolken verhangen, während eine steife Brise über die aufgepeitschte See pfiff. Trotz dieser ungünstigen Wetterbedingungen hielten japanische Aufklärungsflugzeuge ihre Erkundungsflüge aufrecht. Ihre unermüdlichen Bemühungen, die seit der nächtlichen Schlacht bei Lunga am 30. November 1942 ununterbrochen beibehalten wurden, fanden ihre Belohnung, als in den Gewässern östlich von Rennell-Island eine mächtige feindliche Flotte, die in nordwestlicher Richtung dampfte, ausgemacht wurde.
Während die feindliche Flak das Feuer eröffnete, gaben die Aufklärer ihre Meldungen. Sofort starteten starke Formationen japanischer Torpedoflugzeuge durch die Wolken feindwärts. Da die feindliche Flotte in Anbetracht des schlechten Wetters keinen Angriff erwartete, lief sie mit unverändertem Kurs weiter und näherte sich den Gewässern nördlich der Rennell-Insel.
Plötzlich erschienen große Formationen japanischer Flugzeuge in den Wolken über der feindlichen Flotte. An der Spitze flog die Maschine des Kommandeurs durch den feindlichen Feuervorhang, um sein Torpedo auf ein feindliches Schlachtschiff abzufeuern. Unglücklicherweise wurde das Flugzeug von einer Granate getroffen. Einen langen Feuerschweif hinter sich herziehend, schlug es mitten auf dem feindlichen Schlachtschiff auf und setzte die Kommandobrücke in Brand. Gleichzeitig traf der vom Flugzeug zuvor abgefeuerte Torpedo das Schiff mit gewaltiger Explosion. Nach weiteren Torpedoangriffen anderer japanischer Flugzeuge begann das Schiff rasch abzusinken.
Die angreifenden Flugzeuge wandten sich dann den größeren feindlichen Kreuzern zu und feuerten nacheinander ihre Torpedos auf sie ab. Zwei Kreuzer wurden sofort versenkt, während zwei weitere Schlachtschiffe in Brand gesetzt und ein weiterer Kreuzer in Flammen gehüllt wurden. Die Sonne war bereits untergegangen. Die japanischen Geschwader unterbrachen ihre Torpedoangriffe und kehrten zu ihren Stützpunkten zurück.
Die feindliche Flotte versuchte – auf südöstlichem Kurs laufend – vergeblich, den japanischen Angriffen auszuweichen. Japanische Aufklärungsflugzeuge machten das fliehende feindliche Geschwader am nächsten Tage in den Gewässern nordöstlich von Rennell-Island aus und die japanischen Torpedoflugzeuge nahmen bei Tagesanbruch den Angriff wieder auf. Zwei feindliche Schlachtschiffe, die am Tag zuvor beschädigt waren, hatten ihre Brände löschen können und flohen in südöstlicher Richtung, während über 20 USA.-Jäger den Luftraum über ihnen abpatrouillierten. Sofort entwickelte sich ein erbittertes Luftduell, wobei drei feindliche Jäger abgeschossen wurden.
Nachdem die feindlichen Jäger abgedrängt waren, stürzten unsere Torpedoflugzeuge wieder auf die feindlichen Schlachtschiffe herab. Mehrere Torpedos trafen ihr Ziel und eine gewaltige Explosion rief bei einem der beiden Schlachtschiffe eine riesige Wassersäule hervor. Das Schlachtschiff erhielt Schlagseite nach Steuerbord und versank sofort in der Tiefe. Ein weiteres Schlachtschiff wurde in Brand gesetzt und schien schwer beschädigt zu sein. Ein Kreuzer, der in der vorherigen Nacht unbeschädigt davongekommen war, wurde das Opfer eines kühnen Torpedoangriffes und versank mit gewaltiger Explosion.
Roosevelts bisherige Verluste
Zu der japanischen Sondermeldung wird mitgeteilt, daß die japanische Luftwaffe nur zehn Flugzeuge bei diesem Schlag gegen die nordamerikanische Kriegsflotte verlor. Sieben Flugzeuge stürzten sich mit ihren Bombenlasten auf die Kriegsschiffe und drei weitere werden vermißt.
Durch den Verlust von 2 Schlachtschiffen und 3 Kreuzern und die Beschädigung von 1 Schlachtschiff und 1 Kreuzer erhöhen sich die nordamerikanischen Verluste der letzten sechs Monate auf 6 versenkte Schlachtschiffe, 4 beschädigte Schlachtschiffe, 4 versenkte Flugzeugträger, 4 beschädigte Flugzeugträger, 34 versenkte Kreuzer, 21 versenkte Zerstörer.
Dringende Bitte um Kriegsmaterial –
Tschiangkaischek nach Washington
tc. Nanking, 1. Februar –
Die amtliche Nachrichtenagentur Nationalchinas meldet aus Tschungking, Marschall Tschiangkaischek sei nach den Vereinigten Staaten abgeflogen, begleitet von höheren Personen seiner Regierung und Wehrmacht.
In Tschungking erklärte man, Tschiangkaischek wolle seine Forderung auf Lieferung größerer Mengen von Kriegsmaterial nunmehr persönlich in Washington vertreten.
Gangster Flynn muß abtreten –
Roosevelts erste Niederlage
Stockholm, 1. Februar –
Roosevelt scheint es doch nicht gelungen zu sein, durch das Reklametheater in Casablanca die amerikanische Öffentlichkeit genügend abzulenken, um von der „sensationellen Wirkung“ seines Zusammentreffens mit Churchill eine Besänftigung des widerspenstigen Kongresses und eine Beilegung der innerpolitischen Konflikte zu erreichen.
Bei seiner Rückkehr nach den Vereinigten Staaten mußte er jedenfalls enttäuscht feststellen, daß seine Kritiker ihm in diesem politischen Rennen nicht hold waren. Sie hatten in seiner Abwesenheit nicht die Empörung über seine eigenmächtige Ernennung seines besten Freundes und Wahlmachers Flynn zum „Sondergesandten in Australien“ vergessen, und die Opposition gegen diesen Mann mit dunkler Vergangenheit, dessen Ernennung einer „Beschimpfung Australiens“ gleichgesetzt wurde, war im Senat so stark, daß Roosevelt jetzt seine erste richtige Niederlage seit dem Zusammentritt des neugewählten Kongresses einstecken mußte. Er mußte die Ernennung Flynns zurücknehmen.
Flynn hatte am Samstag ein Rücktrittsgesuch eingereicht, in dem er sich hinter einigen Phrasen von „nicht wünschenswerter Uneinigkeit“ verschanzt. Nicht aus der Welt schaffen läßt sich damit aber die Tatsache, daß der Skandal Flynn unzweideutig enthüllt hat, daß Schieber und Verbrecher Roosevelt als Mitarbeiter gerade recht sind.
Nach außen hin kaschierte Roosevelt diese peinliche Tatsache dadurch, daß er Flynn dazu veranlaßte, eine offizielle „Befreiung von dem vorgesehenen Gesandtenposten“ zu erbitten. Flynn tat das dann auch mit den widerwilligen Worten:
Ich will nicht, daß meine Kandidatur eine stürmische Senatsdebatte verursacht, die darauf hindeuten könnte, daß im. Senat unglückliche Meinungsverschiedenheiten herrschten.
Hätte sich Roosevelt nicht in letzter Minute zu diesem Zurückzieher entschlossen, wäre eine Niederlage noch offenkundiger geworden. So aber entging er der Blamage, seinen eigenen Kandidaten vom Senat abgelehnt zu sehen. Daß es dazu unweigerlich gekommen wäre, geht aus einer Washingtoner Meldung des Afton Tidningen hervor, in der es heißt, daß sich Flynn erst dann zur Zurücknahme seiner Kandidatur entschloß,
…als es sich herausstellte, daß der Senat seiner Ernennung nicht zustimmen würde.
U.S. Navy Department (February 2, 1943)
Communiqué No. 268
South Pacific.
On January 26: U.S. Army planes bombed and scored near hits on a Japanese cargo ship at Tarawa Island in the Gilbert group.
On January 30:
-
During the morning, Marauder medium bombers (Martin B-26) attacked enemy positions at Munda.
-
During the afternoon, Marauders and Flying Fortress heavy bombers (Boeing B-17) carried out a second attack on enemy installations at Munda. Fires were started as the result of hits in the enemy areas.
On January 31: A U.S. destroyer shelled a number of enemy barges off Cape Esperance on Guadalcanal Island.
On February 1:
-
During the morning, a force of dive bombers and Avenger torpedo planes (Grumman TBF) with Wildcat (Grumman F4F) escort, bombed the enemy-held area at Munda. Two dive bombers failed to return.
-
During the morning, a force of Flying Fortresses, with Warhawk (Curtiss P-40) and Lightning (Lockheed P-38) escort bombed a large Japanese cargo ship off Shortland Island. Three direct hits were scored. All U.S. planes returned, although three of the fighters had suffered damage from anti-aircraft fire.
-
A second wave of Flying Fortresses, which had been dispatched to attack shipping in the Buin-Shortland area, was attacked by 20 enemy Zeros. Three of our planes are missing and a fourth returned badly damaged.
-
U.S. ground forces on Guadalcanal continued to advance slowly toward the west.
North Pacific.
On January 31: Two Japanese float-type Zeros bombed U.S. positions in the western Aleutians. No damage was suffered.
On February 1: Japanese planes attacked U.S. surface units and shore positions in the western Aleutians. No damage to ships or shore installations resulted.
Communiqué No. 269
South Pacific.
During the last several days, there have been a number of surface and air actions between U.S. and Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands.
The increased activity on the part of the Japanese indicates a major effort to regain control of the entire Solomon area.
Both U.S. and Japanese forces have suffered some losses. To reveal, at this time, details of these engagements would endanger the success of our future operations in this area.
Reading Eagle (February 2, 1943)
VICTORY PLANS DRAFTED, ROOSEVELT SAYS
President airs details of trip to Casablanca
United Nations will strike next in Europe, he reiterates; hints at future conference with Stalin
Washington (AP) –
President Roosevelt said today his Casablanca Conference with Winston Churchill was one to win the war and to fulfill the promise he made in his annual message to Congress that the United Nations would strike hard in Europe.
The President, talking at a press conference, spoke principally in generalities of the meeting and supplied most of the new details in the nature of anecdotes.
But he did emphasize the words of his January message in which he promised new blows at the Axis in Europe and said that his parley with Churchill was in fulfillment of that declaration.
Mr. Roosevelt said that he thought the highlight of the North African meeting was the formal reemphasis placed on a belief that there should be no negotiated armistice, only an unconditional surrender by the Axis.
Outlines highlights
There were two highlights, Mr. Roosevelt said, of his stop on the way home to talk with President Vargas of Brazil.
One, he explained, is the greatly increased effort Brazil is making to combat submarines. The second, he said, in an agreement that the peace to come must eliminate any future threat from the African coast to the portion of this hemisphere lying closest to Africa.
The President dwelt at some length on the situation in French North Africa, especially the political problems. He said he thought things were going along pretty well. The problem in North Africa, he said, is essentially a military one.
Raps rumormongers
Mr. Roosevelt said that anyone who tried to stir up talk of disputes between Gens. Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, French leaders, was helping the cause of the enemy.
He volunteered the information that every effort was being made to supply modern arms for a French Army under Giraud.
The President remarked that Giraud said he could put 250,000 men with some military training in the field, but had apparently raised his sights since the Casablanca Conference. Since then, Giraud has spoken of an army of 300,000.
After giving a word of praise to the press and radio for living up faithfully to the request of the Office of Censorship that secrecy be maintained about the movements of his party, the President noted that he was never out of touch with Washington, even while traveling by air. He placed the length of his trip at 16,965 miles.
The whole journey, Mr. Roosevelt said, was essentially a military mission. At Casablanca, he said, planes were drafted for winning the war – drafted as far ahead as possible – and in this case they covered the calendar year 1943.
Refers to message
At that point he read a paragraph from his message to Congress, the paragraph which he said the Casablanca Conference was designed to fulfill. It said:
I cannot prophesy. I cannot tell you when or where the United Nations are going to strike next in Europe. But we are going to strike – and strike hard. I cannot tell you whether we are going to hit them in Norway, or through the Low Countries, or in France, or through Sardinia or Sicily, or through the Balkans, or through Poland – or at several points simultaneously. But I can tell you that no matter where and when we strike by land, we and the British and the Russians will hit them from the air heavily and relentlessly. Day in and day out we shall heap tons upon tons of high explosives on their war factories and utilities and seaports.
Mr. Roosevelt reported that he and Churchill and their combined staffs had reached unanimous agreement on how to fulfill that statement.
In touch with Stalin
The conferees were in complete touch with Joseph Stalin and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he added, speaking with a measure of sarcasm about suggestions which he said came from certain people that those two leaders should have been in on the parley. He directed attention to the fact that Russia is not at war with Japan and that China is so situated geographically she can do nothing in the war against Germany.
Replying to an inquiry, the President said he had heard from Stalin since the Casablanca decisions were communicated to the Russian Premier. But he would not discuss Stalin’s reaction, calling it a military matter.
Hope springs eternal, he remarked when a reporter wondered whether he hoped at some future time to confer with Stalin.
Mr. Roosevelt asked reporters not to infer that anything was going wrong just because he was not making public the messages he and Stalin exchanged.
It was in response to a request for his reaction to what a question called “knocks” which Secretary Hull has been taking on the North African situation of French unity, or lack of it, that the President said he thought things were going pretty well there.
Quotes interview
He read at length from an interview in the London News Chronicle with Gen. Giraud, praising it highly and indicating that he was in full accord with the sentiments expressed by the French general.
The interview spoke of the need for trained administrators in North Africa and emphasized that men who had been officials in the Vichy regime did not necessarily bear a taint.
The President predicted there would be greater cooperation between de Gaulle, the Fighting French leader, and Giraud and their staffs as a result of their meeting at Casablanca. De Gaulle, he said, has only 15,000-20,000 fighting men back of him, and the British have provided arms for them.
Mr. Roosevelt said he understood that virtually all political prisoners in North Africa who wanted to fight the Germans had been released, although some might still be held because they had been accused of other crimes.
Reports that support of de Gaulle is considered a crime are absolutely untrue, he told a questioner.
Cites goodwill
The President stressed that there was almost universal goodwill now between U.S. forces in North Africa and the French military and naval units which opposed their landing in November. He said many of the French did not want to fight but received their orders to do so and obeyed them like good soldiers.
He cited the instance of the battle for Fort Lyautey. The French garrison of 400, he said, cheered when told the night of Nov. 7 that Americans were about to land and were thrilled that the United States would use North Africa as a striking point against the Axis. About two hours later, he said, the commander, who had assumed there would be no opposition to the landing, received orders to resist and told his men they must obey them.
They did resist and inflicted rather heavy casualties, Mr. Roosevelt said. The fort, at the mouth of a river, the President said, is an old Moorish structure, hundreds of years old, built of sun-dried bricks. He said the Navy shelled it 8,000-10,000 yards offshore.
But it was not until the third day, when the Army got artillery ashore, that the fort was reduced. At point blank range, he said, a breach was opened in the land side of the fort and the infantry took it by assault. The Americans lost some 94 men killed and the French about 200, he said, and they were buried in cemeteries side by side.
The French showed extraordinary bravery, Mr. Roosevelt observed, and then when the cease-firing order came, there was complete fraternizing with U.S. forces. The action, he said, likewise demonstrated the importance of artillery in modern warfare.
Washington awaits report on Jap claims
Washington (INS) –
Official circles today anxiously awaited confirmation or denial from the battle zone of Japanese claims that they had scored a telling sea-air victory over U.S. warships off the Solomons.
While some sources asserted that some action may have taken place off Rennell Island, 100 miles south of Guadalcanal, it was pointed out that the enemy claims that two U.S. battleships and three cruisers had been sunk were undoubtedly exaggerated.
The Tokyo claim, it was said, might be a “fishing expedition” in the hope of gaining information about disposition of U.S. forces, or it could have a grain of truth, since the Japs have frequently given out first news of action.