The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-11
Casablanca, Rabat Both Fell To Yankee Advance Today
Nazis Desperately Rush Troops to France, Corsica, Tunisia; Petain
 Protests German Invasion
LIGHTNING DEVELOPMENTS IN
 EUROPE START WILD RUMORS
By EDWARD W. BEATTIE

London, Nov. 11.-(UP)-Amercan forces toa day swept into virtually complete control of French North Africa, capturing Casablanca and Rabat while axis troops poured into unoccupied France, Corsica and Tunisia.
 A mobile American column was reported streak. ing for the Tunisian frontier in move which may bring it into direct collision with arborne and luft waffe troops sent into the French Colony by Adolf Hitler.
 American capture of Casablanca was announced in the House of Commons by Prime Minister Winston Churchill some hours after official Vichy conn munque had revealed the surrender of the city.
 Churchill also revealed that the Americans have occupied Bouge, 120 miles east of Algers and about onehrd of the distance between Algers and Bizerte strong French Tunsian naval base. Rabat Capture Revealed
 The occupation of Rabat was revealed by Lieutenant General Dwight Eisenhower, coTnmander-lnchef of the African operation The city apparently has been in D. S. hands time but its fall had not previously been revealed officially. The American mopup proceeded against background of lightning moves in which the future of the vchy of France appeared to be hanging in the balance.
 Hters to occupy France and any other strategic French positions he desired and to protect the French navy drew formal protest from Marshal Henri Philippe Petain.
 However retaied German accounts described Petan's protest largely foray and described the meeting of the Marshal with Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt as friendly and correct French troops being used to streets of French cities through which Na troops passed and French police and the French army were l- Structed not to interfere in the Nazi movement
 Many Developments N It was day of lightning developments
 l. German troops moved on MarseileS and Toulon, naval where the bulk of the French fleet has long been assembled Unconrmed but vague rumors circulated that the fleet actually at off the coast Of Sardinia American troops in Africa moved close to complete control Morocco Vchy reported that CaSabanca fell to the Americans this morning after stiff and land fighting.
 B. An American troop column was heading for Tunisia where it was revealed Naz arborne troops and Luftwas units ready to meet them the Nazi radio circulated reports false that the Americans already were inside Tunisia
 ing under developments but Laval absent probably negotiating with Hitler and Benito Mussoni with view to attempting to bring France into the war as full Axis partner
 Accompanied by Fanfare
 The Nazi into the remaining French territory under ostenSble Vichy control was accompanied by typical Hitler fanfare.
 However it drew protest by Petain to Marshal Gerd Won Rundstedt, the Nazi commander in France
 Petain's protest did not indicate = at least on the surface - any intention to oppose actively the Nazi occupation. NE Petan's actual words
 T have received during the night letter from the measures which have the practical effect of suppesng the foundation of the armistce.
 T solemny protest against these decisions which incompatible with the terms of the armistice
 Should the Vichy government choose regard Htlers action Supersedng the FrancoGerm armStce, the status of relations between Vchy and Germany would of war
 No Interference Seen
 Peains language did not indicate that prepared to that far and there nothing in any reports from Vchy or from the Axis radio to indicate that the German occupation of previously unoccuped France had been inter- fered with in any way by the French authorities
 However it was obvious that the Vichy governments control the situation tenuous and that the pop ac already famed to fever pitch by the American action
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