Patterson: Conquest of Sicily sure
Washington (UP) –
Acting Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson said today that successful conquest of Sicily is assured beyond a doubt.
He said at a press conference:
There is no doubt about the outcome of the Sicilian operation.
Mr. Patterson revealed that the invasion has proceeded far more rapidly than Allied leaders expected and that casualties are far fewer than anticipated. However, he warned that hard fighting is expected.
The decision to undertake the offensive was reached at the Casablanca Conference between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill in January. The exact date was decided by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower before the end of the Tunisian operations, Mr. Patterson said.