Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-25
Assassination Of Admiral Dar|an
OfAxis Origin ASSOCIATED Charges;
Death Causes Grave AnxietyHere
Giroud Reported
Taking Steps to
Maintain Order
BY holland NORGAARD,
Associated Press War Correspnndent.

AasoCAdteu FresS war correspondent.
ALGIERS, Dec. 25.-Admira,
Jean Darlan, who surrendered
North Africa and yielded Dakal
bloodlessly to the Allies, was shot
to death on the eve of Christmas
and one of his closest associates
said today the assassination was
inspired by the Axis or its COL
laborationists.
(The Algiers radio announced
that Gen. Henri Honore Giraud,
implacable foe of the Germans
and Admiral Darlans commander
Of French forces in the North
African field alongside the Allies.
had taken over maintenance of
order" in French North Africa.
(Thus, for the moment at least,
the old-school French general
who said he preferred fighting to
politics stood virtually in the lit
tie admiral's place, at the head
Of the French in North Africa.
(The Morocco radio said the
Imperial Council would name
Admiral Darlan's successor to-
morrow. The council, set up by
the admiral to govern North
Africa and defend the interests
of the French Empire" until
France is liberated, included
Admiral Darlan and these five
men. one of whom probably will
be chosen:
Gen. Graud, Gen. Jean Marie
Bergeret. former Vichy air min
lister: and the three governors
general in French North and
West Africa, Gen. Auguste Nogues
of Morocco, Pierre Boisson of
West Africa, and Yves Chatel of
Algeria.
(The Morocco broadcast said
Gen. Nogues had left Rabat by
plane for Algiers early today to
attend the council meeting. 1t
announced that a special mass
would be celebrated in Admiral
Darlan's memory tomorrow in the
Rabat CathedralJ
Assassin Caught Quickly.
The assassin was caught in the
government palace seconds after he
fired the close-range shots which
took the life of the one-time COM
mander of all Vichy's armed forces,
high-placed member in Marshal
Petain's collaboration cabinet, who
said Marshal Petain sent him to
North Africa as his deputy.
Bergeret Makes Charge.
Gen. Bergeret, close associate of
Admiral Darlan, said the admiral was
'the victim of an assassin inspired
by those who did not pardon him
for having taken up arms on the
side of the Allies against Germany
The assassin was said to be %
years old. There was no official an
nouncement Immediately Identify
ing him or giving a specific motive
for his act. He used a .25 caliber
revolver.
(The Federal Communications
Commission reported hearing
Paris radio broadcast declaring
that Admiral Darlan was killed
by young Frenchman)
Gen. Bergeret called on all
Frenchmen to unite "for the only
fight that counts-the liberation OF
France"
The general, who was present in
Compiegne Forest when the German
armistice terms were handed te
French representatives in June, 1910
and stood by Marshal Petain anc
Admiral Darlan throughout the
trials of the Vichy government, sale
that "all attempts at dividing the
population will be crushed"
New Realignment in Making.
Thus less than IL hours after the
puzzling career of Admiral Darlar
was ended new realignments were il
the making. The extent of these
changes could not be estimated to-
day.
Admiral Darlan, who brought
French forces to the Allied side un-
der an arrangement with United
States 1t. Gen. Dwight D. Eisen.
hover after resisting briefly, bu
furiously, the Allied occupation o.
French Morocco and Algeria, wa.
wounded MORALLY about 3 pm. yes.
terday as he was about to enter hi!
Office in the government palace.
Five shots rang out in the cor
ridor leading to Admiral Darlani
Office and the little admiral, whit
had followed Marshal Petain witt
almost fanatical zeal for more thar
two years, slumped to the floor a
the doorway.
Admiral Darlan died just before
h;r ,r,b,,Ion,o roochpd tbo hos.