Evening star., 1942-11-09

Jack was hoisted on the pier while
the French flag still flew from the
admiralty building and the gover-
nor generals residence.
A Vichy communique declared that
fierce fighting was progressing in
French Morocco and that naval
forces were engaged in the Atlantic
of Casablanca.
"Our forces are endeavoring to re-
duce enemy landings at Safl and
Fedhala and fighting is in progress
at Arzew and Oran," the Vichy bull
letin reported.
French broadcasts said the Amer
leans closing around Oran had
reached the railway line eastward
from that port to Algiers. but there
was no evidence as yet OF any ex-
tension of operations eastward be-
yond the Algiers area.
A Vichy communique said no at
tack had occurred in the region OF
Constantine, inland from the East
ern Algerian port of Phillipeville,
but military and civilian prepara-
tions were being made against a
possible eventual Allied thrust at
Tunisia.
Moving southwestward on Oran
from Arzew, the French said. the
Americans have reached st. Cloud,
about 10 miles from their landing
place, and also have gained Valmy
inland about seven miles south OF
Oran.
Both at Arzew on the Mediter-
ranean and at SAT-. where United
States forces were tanning out on
the Atlantic coast, this broadcast
said, reinforcements were debarking
in considerable strength.
The defenses of Morocco have not
been undermined, however, and the
coastal batteries at Oran are intact
it declared.
Actual Occupation at Dawn.
Mobile headquarters established
by 1t. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
of the United States Army, COM
mander in chief of the AEF, an
nounced that Algiers capitulated at
pm. g pm. Eastern war time)
last night, with the actual occupa-
ton set for dawn today.
Allied naval forces entered the
port this morning and landed Amer
ican infantrymen and Royal All
Force personnel, the Vichy radio
announced. 1t said Gen. Eisen-
hover and Gen. Voeldz, commander
of the 18th French Army Corps
signed the formal armistice con-
vention for Algiers.
| A Washington communique said
''the lack of opposition encountered
at most of the beaches" indicated
that the French armed forces. OF
North Africa had no desire to op-
pose the entry of American troops.
Reinforcements arrived in French
Morocco during the night, the Vichy
radio reported.
The Berlin radio said, however
that additional British naval forces
had left Gibraltar, apparently es-
corting transports. and 55 fresh
planes had flown from the Rock.
Darlan May Be Prisoner.
Admiral Jean Darlan, British
hating chief of Vichy's armed forces
approved the capitulation of Algier!
and, for time at least, may have
been prisoner. His fate was moi
announced.
Less than "a hours after the frs
invasion barges grounded, the gov
ernment of Marshal Petain ane
Pierre Laval severed already tenuou'
relations with the United States.
The action was taken despite {
message of President Roosevelt tt
the aged marshal which said tina
the ultimate aim was to Free Franc,
and her empire from the German
yoke, this a phase in a program t.
provide automatically for tn
security of the Americas"
Petain expressed> "bewildermen
and sadness, ordered French force'
to resist with all their strength.
Hitler told his followers in al
address last night, the eve of tn
anniversary of the 1928 Municl
putsch, that he would strike hacl
at the American forces; pledged
for some reason, that he woul'
never leave Germany and g
abroad II things 60 wrong"
London observers said the stiffes