Casablanca Conference 1943

Jan. 14-24 - FDR and Churchill met in North Africa - images of the 5th war conference

Casablanca decisions:

Giraud and De Gaulle "forced" handshake from ILN 1943/02/06

Eisenhower from ILN 1943/02/20

NYT 1/29/43 - bg and 1/30/43 - bg

• Anfa pledge - Giraud and De Gaulle to cooperate as "local authorities"
• unconditional surrender - but only verbal declaration by FDR
• see end of FDR's radio speech 1943/2/12
• Global strategy - see the Casablanca Communique of 1943/1/24:

  1. secure the Atlantic lifeline ag. U-boat in Battle of the Atlantic

  2. "a paying investment" to aid Russia (FDR memo Jan. 23)

  3. invade Sicily - op. HUSKY

  4. BOLERO buildup, bomber offensive

  5. Pacific operations, aid China

• Ike promoted to full general and overall command, but British skeptical of Ike; Alan Brooke able to appoint Harold Alexander as commander of ground troops in Tunisia

Jan. 23 - Casablanca feature film released nationwide by Warner Bros after the Nov. 26, 1942 premier in New York.

Jan. 28 - FDR met with President Edwin Barclay in Monrovia, Liberia, and with President Getulio Vargas in Natal, Brazil, on his return trip from Morocco.

Apr. 8 - Simon & Schuster published One World book by Wendell Willkie, sold 800,000 in one month.

Apr. 22 - Mission to Moscow feature film released by Warner Bros.

Tunisia Campaign began

Sources:

• Cobbs, Elizabeth A. The Rich Neighbor Policy: Rockefeller and Kaiser in Brazil. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.
• Frank, Gary. Struggle for Hegemony in South America: Argentina, Brazil and the United States during the Second World War. Coral Gables, Fla. : Center for Advanced International Studies, University of Miami, 1979.
• Hilton, Stanley E. Hitler's Secret War in South America, 1939-1945: German Military Espionage and Allied Counterespionage in Brazil. Louisiana State University Press, 1981.
• March of Time, "South American Front 1944," vol. 10, issue 8, March 1944.
• Wolf, John. U. S. Relations with Brazil During World War II, seminar timeline, July 19, 2001.

Links:

• Presque Isle
• Bob Hope and American Variety from LC

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