Anglo-American occupation of Morocco and Algeria. On July 26, 1942, Maj. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower , whom U.S. Army chief of staff Gen. George C. Marshall had chosen as commander of the U.S. forces in the European theatre, was given the post. Date. The Allied planned to send 120,000 men, 500 aircrafts, and several warships to Morocco and Algeria. Francois Darlan † Ernst Kals. The United States got the quick, painless action that Roosevelt believed necessary to slowly lead the American public … The Soviet Union had been demanding the Allies to open a new front against the Germans. The first operation, Marne Torch I, began on 16 June … It consisted of the 2nd Armored Division, and the 3rd and 9th Divisions - 35000 troops in all. Operation Torch was the name of the Allied invasion of northwest Africa in the hopes and goal of removing the Axis presence on the continent. A part of the high-level planning conducted by the American and British governments called for the formation of a military ring around Germany to be tightened as the war progressed. The combined operation in North Africa was dubbed Operation Torch, and it was agreed that the supreme command of the invasion should be given to an American. 1940s Birth of an Army by A B Austin WWII Vintage Military Ephemera Map of Tunisia Tunisia Campaign Territorial changes. Operation Torch. The Allied forces hoped that the French in North Africa would not engage them in a war because they had fought on the same side in previous wars. The Central Task Force, aimed at Oran, comp… The Anglo-U.S. invasion of northwest Africa had its origins at the Arcadia Conference in Washington, D.C., in the winter of 1941–42 and at meetings in London the following July. Casualties were held to a minimum—about 500 Allied soldiers were killed, another 700 were injured. En échange de sa coopération, Darlan put rester pour un temps à la tête de l'administration française quand les forces françaises nord-africaines rejoignirent les Alliés, ce qui indigna Charles de Gaulle et d'autres membres de la France libre . Operation Torch was the Anglo-American invasion of French Morocco and Algeria during the North African Campaign of World War II. Allied victory. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW 8th to 12th Nov ember 1942. Operation Torch has a mixed political legacy. Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African Campaign of the Second World War which started on 8 November 1942.. Also, the American and British work together on a military operation for the first time. Egypt and Cyrenaica (June 1940–June 1941), Egypt and Libya (Autumn 1941–January 1943), The final Allied assault and the German collapse. This would prove wrong. Operation Torch. The combined operation in North Africa was dubbed Operation Torch, and it was agreed that the supreme command of the invasion should be given to an American. It resulted from an uneasy compromise between the Western Allies, and was intended to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union by imperiling Axis forces in the region and by enabling an invasion of Southern … The Allies land in Vichy controlled North Africa To take control faster, the Allies invade in three different places to speed up the Operation. The British, however, favoured an invasion of North Africa (Operations Gymnast and Super-Gymnast) that would secure the Mediterranean theatre once and for all. Charles de Gaulle was ruled out for the opposite reason—his defiance of Vichy leader Philippe Pétain in 1940 and his subsequent role in actions against Vichy forces in French West Africa, Syria, and Madagascar would make all French officers who had remained loyal to the Vichy government unwilling to accept his leadership. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. One of the major unexpected benefits from Torch was the fact that military operations in the Mediterranean from November 1942 to the fall of 1943 allowed the British and Americans to establish an effective combined, joint high command. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. However, the British feared the resentment of the French after they had inflicted massive damages on the French navy in Mers el Kebir in 1940. Torch troops hit the beaches near Algiers. Operation Torch (8-11 November 1942) was the Allied invasion of Vichy occupied North Africa, and was the first significant land operation carried out by American troops in the war against Germany. On July 26, 1942, Maj. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, whom U.S. Army chief of staff Gen. George C. Marshall had chosen as commander of the U.S. forces in the European theatre, was given the post. Optimistic British intelligence suggested that the French would offer minimal resistance. Operation Torch launched The Western, Eastern, and Central task forces approach North Africa. The operation also led to various unforeseen military consequences. American and British forces had finally seized the offensive after three years of German and Italian forces dictating the tempo of events. French Moroccoball and French Algeriaball. In the final plan, the Atlantic coast landing to capture Casablanca was to be made by the all-American Western Task Force under Maj. Gen. George S. Patton, with 35,000 troops carried by a U.S. Navy task force sailing directly from the U.S. Commanders George S. Patton Lloyd Fredenhall Kenneth Anderson. TTY: 202.488.0406, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC, Holocaust Survivors and Victims Resource Center. Operation Torch was the American and British invasion of French North Africa in November 1942. The primary objective was to secure bridgeheads for opening a second front to the rear of German and Italian forces battling the British in Libya and Egypt. It began on November 8 and concluded on November 16, 1942. Groundwork laid for plans of infiltration and implanting native with positive relation with AFK. Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Anglo–American invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War.The French colonies in the area were dominated by the Vichy French, formally aligned with Germany but of mixed loyalties.Reports indicated that they might support the Allies. Tunis did not fall quickly to British and American forces. Washington, DC 20024-2126 It began on November 8 and concluded on November 16, 1942. Result. It provided Allied staff officers and senior military leaders the opportunity to work together in evolving common practices, and even a common language for military operations. Operation Torch was the Anglo-American invasion of French Morocco and Algeria during the North African Campaign of World War II. Mast (whose involvement had been secured as part of a mission dubbed Operation Flagpole) suggested that a senior Allied military representative should come secretly to Algiers for backstage talks and discussion of plans with the French commander in chief in Algeria, Gen. Alphonse Juin. …decided to strike first in North Africa. The capture of Oran was entrusted to the Centre Task Force, which consisted of 39,000 U.S. troops under Maj. Gen. Lloyd R. Fredendall but was escorted by a British naval force. Nov 8, 1942. Urged by General Mark Clark, Eisenhower's deputy, Admiral Jean Francois Darlan, Vichy High Commissioner for North Africa, and General Juin also ordered French forces to cease armed resistance in Oran and Morocco on November 10–11. Conversely, the invasion also failed to draw away large numbers of Germans from the Eastern Front, a key strategic rationale given for the operation. His government had some 125,000 soldiers stationed in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, as well as powerful coastal artillery, numerous tanks, aircraft, and warships. Nov 14, 2014 - Images from Operation Torch. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Operative Date: 20SEP20/1500 Public Release . At the Torch landings, the 503rd were renamed as the 509th, still a regiment only one battalion strong. Giraud then made his way to southern France, and just days before the Allied attack was to begin, he, his family, and his staff were extracted by submarine in an Anglo-American mission dubbed Operation Kingpin. Attempts to confuse the Axis with names went further. The following morning, the Allied assault commenced as three task forces sought to seize key ports and airports at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers before advancing eastwards into Tunisia. The Soviet Union had pressed the United States and United Kingdom to start operations in Europe and open a second front to reduce the pressure of German forces on the Soviet troops. Owing to a number of factors—notably the American decision to contest the Japanese occupation of Guadalcanal in the southern Solomon Islands—the British eventually prevailed. Torch was to be primarily an American operation, with the significant British role downplayed because of lingering animosity following the Royal Navy’s bombardment of the French Mediterranean Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir on July 3, 1940, to prevent it from falling into German hands. In return for his cooperation, Darlan temporarily remained head of the French administration as the French forces in North Africa joined the Allies, deeply offending Charles de Gaulle and other members of Free France. Strike The Battle of Port Lyautey began on 8 November 1942 for the city of Port Lyautey, today known as Kenitra, in French Morocco. Aircraft on Ranger's deck during Operation Torch In November 1942, 107,305 American servicemen crossed the Atlantic to invade occupied North Africa. The occupation of French North Africa was seen as a first step in that process. After a brief naval engagement, the French surrendered the city before an all-out attack was launched. Operation Torch landed on the shores of French Morocco on November 8, 1942, with Ranger (CV-4), Suwanee (ACV-27), Sangamon (ACV26), and Santee (ACV-29) supporting U.S. forces north and south of Casablanca. It resulted from an uneasy compromise between the Western Allies, and was intended to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union by imperiling Axis forces in the region and by enabling an invasion of Southern Europe in 1943. Vichy France Nazi Germany. Free France control of French West Africaball. Operation Torch thus provided Roosevelt with uneven results. Security detail organised personally by Chemist. Colonel Edson D. Raff was in command. Franklin D. Roosevelt downward, readily accepted Mast’s recommendation that Gen. Henri Giraud was the best candidate for leadership of the French in North Africa. On December 7, 1940, some 30,000 men, under Major General Richard Nugent O’Connor, advanced westward,... Allied troops landing on a beach near Algiers during Operation Torch, November 8, 1942. But there were notable successes as well. At Oran, the Center Task Force also encountered stubborn French resistance before Oran’s surrender on November 9. Find topics of interest and explore encyclopedia content related to those topics, Find articles, photos, maps, films, and more listed alphabetically, Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust, Explore the ID Cards to learn more about personal experiences during the Holocaust. On the other hand, the Eastern Task Force was aided by a successful coup by the French resistance in Algiers, which neutralized the French XIX Corps before the Allied landings there. Operation Torch marked the largest American campaign to date in the Atlantic theater, and the first major operation carried out jointly and combined by the United States and the United Kingdom during World War II. Location. This campaign is named after Operation Torch, the joint US/British invasion of French North Africa in 1942, presumably because of the two operations' similar thrust into the enemies' southern underbellies. Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African Campaign of the Second World War which started on 8 November 1942. U.S. Gen. George Patton standing to the side of an M2 medium tank in Tunisia, 1942. Remembering Operation Torch: Allied Forces Land in North Africa during World War II Wednesday, November 08, 2017 In early November 1942 the United States had been at war against the Axis for almost a year, but had yet to come to grips with German or Italian ground forces. Upon learning of Darlan’s deal with the Allies, Adolf Hitler ordered the occupation of Vichy France and started building up Axis forces in Tunisia, where they would later clash with British troops. The Western Task Force (aimed at Casablanca) comprised all-American units, with Major-General George Patton in command and Rear Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt heading the naval operations. T… In those circumstances the Americans, from Pres. Lessons learned in North Africa would shape Anglo-American decision making and facilitate successful invasions in the European theater throughout the rest of the war. Under pressure from Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to open a second front, the Western Allies debated how they might best engage Germany. November 8-16, 1942. Part of . Operation Torch Conflict: World War II: Date: 8-16 November 1942 Place: Morocco and Algeria: Outcome: Allied victory Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French. Eisenhower in particular benefited from the experience of leading a combined force of Britis… work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. On November 7, Vichy forces thwarted an attempted coup d’etat by pro-Allied General Antoine Béthouart against the French command in Morocco. The military end state for Operation TORCH is defined by the annihilation of Axis forces in North Africa and the total control of the Suez Canal and Persian Gulf oil. Operation Torch was the invasion of west North Africa to prevent the Germans taking control of the territories occupied by the French, then under the control of the Vichy French Government. Details of the USS Ranger's participation in the North African campaign called "OPERATION TORCH" are contained in the excellent history of the USS Ranger compiled by Robert J. Cressman for the Spring and Summer issues of The Hook: Journal of Carrier Aviation. Robert Murphy, the chief U.S. diplomatic representative in North Africa, prepared the way for the landings by discreetly eliciting support from French officers whom he felt were likely to sympathize with the project. 1. Operation Torch - WW2 Timeline (November 8th - 10th, 1942) North Africa seemed a good a place as any to start the Allied march on Rome, Berlin, and - ultimately - Tokyo. Operation Torch - the Invasion of N orth A frica. Stiff French resistance then caused significant losses at several of the Moroccan assault points before the Western Task Force achieved its landing objectives. Main telephone: 202.488.0400 L'Opération Torch a un héritage politique mitigé. This was to lighten the offensive by the German troops on the Eastern Front against the Russians. Giraud had been captured by the Germans in May 1940, but the 63-year-old officer had staged a daring escape from imprisonment at Königstein Fortress in April 1942. At Roosevelt’s urging, Marshall set the target invasion date for Sept. 30. The British chiefs of staff, spurred by Churchill, had proposed October 7, 1942, as the target date for the operation, but U.S. planners recommended November 7 as “the earliest reasonable date for landing of the forces based on availability of combat loaders.” On the question of the landing site, the respective views were even wider apart: the British urged that the landings should be made in North Africa, on the Mediterranean coast, so that a quick advance to Tunisia would be possible. It was a deceptive name, designed to make it seem that America had more paratroopers than it did. In all, the four flattops embarked 109 Grumman F4F-4 fighters with sixty-two Douglas SBD-3 and Grumman TBF-1 bombers. The Clark-Mast conference also considered the matter of the most-suitable French leader to rally the French forces in North Africa to the Allied side. Commanded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the operation was designed as a pincer movement with American landings at Morocco’s Atlantic coast and Anglo-American landings on Algeria’s Mediterranean coast. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War) and in Morocco and Algeria (Operation Torch), as well as Tunisia (Tunisia Campaign).. The Allied reached out to sympathetic member… Allied troops quickly pushed inland, and General Juin surrendered the city in the early evening of November 9. July 28, 2020 Mack Dean 41722 views. Operation Marne Torch refers to two operations launched by Coalition forces in 2007 against al-Qaeda in Iraq in the Arab Jabour area of Babil province. Torch was an American led operation under Eisenhower with substantial UK support. Operation Torch - the Invasion of North Africa - 8th to 12th November 1942 OPERATION TORCH - THE INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA, NOV 1942. Operation Torch was an invasion strategy by Allied forces into North Africa that took place Nov. 8 to 10, 1942, during World War II (1939 to 1945). Eisenhower and his staff, however, were inclined to agree with the British view, and his first outline plan, formulated on August 9, 1942, was devised as a compromise: it proposed simultaneous landings inside and outside the Mediterranean but only as far east as Algiers. In their boldest move yet, the Allies planned out the invasion of North Africa through Operation Torch. Operation Torch. The U.S. chiefs of staff were anxious to confine the landings to the Casablanca area in the west, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, because they feared not only opposition from Vichy French forces in the area but also a hostile reaction from Francisco Franco’s Spain and a German counterstroke against Gibraltar. That excess of secrecy deprived Mast and his associates of the information necessary to plan, and to take, cooperative steps. Juin had privately expressed a favourable inclination but then demonstrated a reluctance to take the initiative. Operation Torch introduced the Americans to the swings and roundabouts of land combat against the Axis Powers and showed up some of the military inconsistencies of their allies – the British. The Allies planned to capture the key ports from Morocco to Algeria simultaneously, targeting Casablanca, Oran and Algiers. To move past the struggle associated with GYMNAST, the operation was rechristened TORCH. He relied particularly on Gen. Charles Mast, commander of the troops in the Algiers sector, and on Gen. Antoine Émile Béthouart, commander of the Casablanca sector. The battle ended with its capture and occupation by American troops, overrunning French forces after more than two days of fierce fighting. We would like to thank The Crown and Goodman Family and the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation for supporting the ongoing Ranger Air Group Over Casablanca --OPERATION TORCH. They were transported directly from the United States. Accordingly, U.S. Army Gen. Mark Clark flew to Gibraltar with four key staff officers, and the party was carried by submarine to a rendezvous at a coastal villa some 60 miles (100 km) west of Algiers. View the list of all donors. Clark told Mast that a large U.S. force was being prepared for dispatch to North Africa and that it would be supported by British air and sea forces, but he abstained, in the interests of security, from giving Mast a clear idea of the time and places of the landings. Mediterranean Front, World War II. François Darlan, commander in chief of all Vichy forces, had hinted to Murphy that he might be willing to bring the French over to the Allied side if he could be assured of U.S. military aid on a sufficiently large scale, but his longtime association with the collaborationist government did not inspire confidence. The North African campaign of the Second World War took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. Operation Torch was set between intelligence operative Yarsby and Chemist.Collaboration with recently liberated Yuan-ti led to the creation of espionage operative Mortez. The invasion forces had to overcome French opposition in territories controlled by the Vichy Regime under Marshall Philippe Pétain. In reality, the 503rd contained only one battalion and was sometimes referred to as the 503rd Parachute Infantry Battalion. On November 10, the Allied troops readied to assault Casablanca. American strategists advocated the Bolero Plan, a build-up of forces in Great Britain in advance of an assault on the European continent in 1942 (Operation Sledgehammer) or 1943 (Operation Roundup). Began on November 16, 1942, overrunning French forces after more than two of. After a brief naval engagement, the Allies planned out the invasion forces had finally seized the by! 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