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

Friday, 15 January

The day started with a long conference in the President’s bedroom. The following persons were present:

  • General Geo. C. Marshall
  • Admiral E. J. King
  • Lt. General H. H. Arnold
  • Brig. General J. R. Deane
  • Mr. Harry Hopkins
  • Mr. Averell Harriman

This conference had lasted from ten o’clock until 12:30. It was followed by a one-thirty luncheon in the President’s villa. Mr. Churchill, Mr. Harriman, Mr. Hopkins, Commander Thompson, and Lt. Colonel Elliott Roosevelt lunched with the President.

At 3:00 p.m. the Prime Minister and his personal aide, Commander Thompson, took their departure in company with Mr. Harriman.

At 3:55 p.m., Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, Commander U.S. Armed Forces in North Africa, called on the President. Shortly after five o’clock, Mr. Robert D. Murphy, Special Representative of the President on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, North African Forces visited the President and remained for ten minutes, departing at 5:30 p.m.

Preparatory to a conference of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, scheduled for 5:30 p.m., the Prime Minister arrived at the President’s villa and introduced to the President the following listed British officers:

  • General H.R.L.G. Alexander, Commander Middle East Forces
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder
  • Lt. General Sir Hastings L. Ismay Office of the Minister of Defense

From 5: 30 until 7:00 p.m. the following listed persons conferred as a group with the President and Prime Minister Churchill in the President’s villa:

Field Marshal Sir John Dill General George C. Marshall
General H.R.L.G. Alexander Admiral E. J. King
General Sir Alan F. Brooke Lt. Gen. H. H. Arnold
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder Lt. Gen. D. D. Eisenhower
Adm. of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound Brig. Gen. John R. Deane
Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal
Lt. Gen. Sir Hastings L. Ismay
Vice Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten
Brigadier E. I. C. Jacob

Following the departure of the above-listed conferees, Mr. Harriman and Lord Leathers called on the President and remained for half an hour, departing at 7:35 p.m.

During the afternoon, Lieutenant Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., USNR, had been informed of his father’s arrival at Casablanca and he accordingly took up quarters in “Dar es Saada,” thus making the household four persons – The President, Mr. Hopkins, Lt. Colonel Elliott Roosevelt, and Lieutenant Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. These four were joined at dinner in the President’s villa this evening by General Marshall, Lt. General Eisenhower, and Mr. Robert Murphy.

The President retired at 11:40.

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