Shift to Allies highlighted Darlan’s mysterious career
Slain admiral seen as ‘arch-turncoat’ by some, ‘astute trader’ by others
By the Associated Press
An assassin’s bullets have put an abrupt end to the most-discussed and most-mysterious career of statecraft and international intrigue that the new World War has produced.
Adm. Jean Darlan, the self-appointed “Chief of State” in French North Africa, was shot down as he entered the commissariat where for just over a month, he has labored with Allied forces which until bare weeks ago had considered him as, at best, a co-worker with their Axis enemies.
The pistol shots served only to emphasize the divergence between those who rated Adm. Darlan as one of the arch-turncoats of all history – a man who served first the conquerors of his country and then turned back to his former allies only when they had captured him – and others who had rated him as an astute horse-trader who saved what he might from the wreckage of France and seized the first opportunity to renew the battle against the Axis.
Career was strange one
Adm. Darlan’s career in itself was as strange as its end. A sailor, he began his career as an actual fighting man in land action leading marine gunners in World War I.
A product of the French naval tradition, he appeared only as a seagoing fighter for many years and was catapulted into international politics on a big scale only by defeat.
The son of a family of navy traditions, Adm. Darlan entered the École Navale at the age of 18.
On graduation in 1902, he left for China, where he stayed two years.
Promoted to ensign in 1904, he was graduated first in his class from the École de Canonnage (gunnery school), and returned to the Far East.
Promoted to lieutenant in 1912, he was chosen as an instructor aboard the Jeanne D’Arc, training ship for young officers.
On Jan. 3, 1913, the Minister of the Navy gave him official commendation for bravery in the fire which occurred aboard the Jeanne D’Arc Oct. 29, 1912.
Commanded marine unit
In August 1914, on the outbreak of World War I, he left for the front in command of a battery of marine gunners. He served on the Meuse, then in Alsace in 1915, Salonica in 1916, Verdun, Champagne and Belgium in 1917, and at Noyon and again at Verdun in 1918.
He became captain of a corvette in July 1918, and in 1920 was promoted to the rank of captain of a frigate.
In 1926, he was promoted to the rank of captain of a warship and served under Georges Leygues, Minister of the Navy, as chef de cabinet. Later he was in command of the Jeanne d’Arc and the Edgar Quinet for two years, training young officers.
Given the rank of rear admiral in 1929, he again directed the cabinet militaire of the Minister of the Navy and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On May 23, 1930, official recognition was accorded him for exceptional services at the London Naval Conference.
He was named commander of the first division of the most modern 10,000-ton cruisers shortly thereafter.
Took charge of fleet
Promoted to vice admiral in 1932, Adm. Darlan took command of the Atlantic Fleet Oct. 4, 1932, and distinguished himself in the Mediterranean maneuvers in 1935.
In 1936 he was asked by M. Gasnier-Duparc, Minister of the Navy, to assume the directorship of his cabinet militaire. In December of the same year, he became chef d’etat major general of the navy and vice president of the Conseil Superier de la Marine.
In recognition of his services, he was awarded the Grand-Croix (highest distinction) of the Legion of Honor Dec. 21, 1937.
Adm. Darlan was made “Admiral of France” in supreme command of all French naval forces, June 6, 1939, only months before the start of hostilities in World War II.
In that capacity, he participated in formulation of major Allied strategy, conferring with Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the British statesman’s notable visit to Paris Nov. 3, 1939, and making various visits to London for meetings of the Allied Supreme War Council before the fall of France.
Vichy-Nazi ‘go-between’
His apparent turn to German collaboration was swift after the collapse of French land resistance. As early as Oct. 22, while he served in Pétain cabinets which followed the French surrender, he was reported ready to join Pierre Laval in accepting German terms and making war on Britain.
He was a leading conferee in the Franco-German negotiations of December 1940 and was reported to have taken a letter from Pétain to Hitler in December of that year. He acted as go-between for Vichy France and the Nazis and their collaborators in Paris, during the 1941 cabinet shuffles.
He became Vice Premier Feb. 9, 1941, and was named successor to Marshal Pétain a day later. He headed a new setup of five cabinet ministers arranged later that month.
Adm. Darlan was reported to have been the moving spirit behind a plan to convoy all French ships if the British continued their blockade of France during that period, but all the time he insisted in public statements that the French fleet would not be delivered to Hitler and that France alone would defend the colonies, without German “help.” Reliable advices had him refusing the Axis North African bases.
Conversely, in a speech June 10, 1940, the admiral told the French people the nation "must cleave to Germany or perish.”
Chief negotiator with Japan
He was chief negotiator for France in the deal with Japan whereby the latter took over the joint “protection” of French Indochina which provided a major springboard for Japan’s conquests in the Indies and South Seas.
Adm. Darlan took military control of North Africa into his own hands when Gen. Maxime Weygand was ousted from that command Nov. 20, 1941. Along the same line, interpreted at the time as a move to clear the French Armed Forces of pro-Allied elements, he recast the Army Jan. 9, 1942, retiring 42 generals. A month later, he was reported to have agreed to send supplies to Tunis to aid the Axis in Libya.
Practically, Adm. Darlan had been in control of all French Armed Forces since he became Pétain’s appointed heir. The position was made official April 17, 1942, and his assumption of the post was the signal for the recall of U.S. Ambassador Leahy.
Adm. Darlan’s anti-Allied utterances and actions continued as late as October 1942, when he protested bitterly against the British invasion of Madagascar.
His turn to an ardent support of the Allies was even more abrupt than his shift in the opposite direction.
Captured by Allies
Caught in North Africa by the surprise American and British invasion, he was captured in Algiers.
He immediately announced approval of the capitulation of Algiers.
On Nov. 11, he ordered French forces to cease resistance to the Allies in Algeria and Morocco, claiming that in so doing he was carrying out the mandate of Marshal Pétain. He said the aged Chief of State was a virtual German prisoner and no longer able to give voice to his own thoughts.
Adm. Darlan assumed responsibility for all French affairs in North Africa Nov. 13, and assumed the title of Chief of State for that territory Dec. 1.
Since the order to cease fire in Algeria, Adm. Darlan had been moving progressively further into the Allied camp in an atmosphere of opposition from Fighting French forces and certain elements in Britain and the United States.
Open opposition from the de Gaulle Fighting French forces became apparent Nov. 17, the same day that President Roosevelt made it clear that any arrangement with him in Africa was “temporary.”
Also on that day, well under two years from the date when he became the real head of the Vichy French regime as Pétain’s heir, he lost that post to Laval. Ten days later, on Nov. 27, he lost even his French nationality by decree of the Laval government.
Adm. Darlan appeared as a figure in world events most prominently in the last month of his life, as the originator of gestures of peace toward the de Gaulle forces, urging unity of all French forces fighting the Axis and denying any personal ambitions.
Perhaps the best statement of Adm. Darlan’s position before and immediately after the American operations began in North Africa was given in an exclusive interview granted by the admiral to Wes Gallagher, Associated Press war correspondent in North Africa, Dec. 17.
Mr. Gallagher asked him this double question:
Is it Mr. Darlan’s intention to hold North Africa in trust for Marshal Pétain? In other words, is the Imperial Council with Mr. Darlan at its head a permanent government or does Mr. Darlan plan to step aside for Marshal Pétain when France is free again?
To these, Adm. Darlan wrote this answer:
I consider the High Commissioner’s part is to represent French interests as long as France is unable to express freely her opinion – that is to say, to give herself the government she chooses.
In conclusion, he was asked:
Would Mr. Darlan like to give any explanation of his change of views as expressed a few weeks ago contrasting with his present position on the side of the Allies?
He replied:
The aim of all that I did while in the French Cabinet was to keep within due limits the power Germany had gained over France and to save all that could be saved in my unfortunate country and its empire. No Frenchman worth that name, and I, in the first place, could willingly submit to German oppression.
As long as the Allied nations were not ready to help France in resuming the struggle, I tried, sad and resigned, to prevent France from dying under the German heel.
When the Allied forces landed in North Africa, I carried on the orders I had received to keep France’s word, which later had prevented for 28 months Axis forces from coming to French Africa.
I gave the cease-fighting order as soon as possible. Being disavowed by Vichy, I committed myself to the American military authorities so that I should not cause more French and Allied blood to be shed. Then, when Germany broke the armistice, I considered I could once more act freely.