Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-23
Important Area
Under Potential
A||iedCommand
Former Vichy Leader
Makes Announcement
Of Acquisition

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Nov. 23.-Admiral
Jean Darlan, the former Vichy
defense chief who went over to
the Allies three days after the
American and British expedition
landed in North Africa, an
nounced on the Algiers radio
tonight that Dakar and all
French West Africa was now un-
der his command.
French West Africa had placed
itself freely under my orders" he
said.
The Allies thus appeared to have
scored bloodless victory which not
only removed the most dangerous
potential Axis threat to the Western
Hemisphere but also put at the dis
posal of the Allies vast resources,
large native manpower and large
strategic area connecting North
Africa with Fighting French ter
ritory in the heart of the continent.
The Algiers broadcast followed
| by a few hours a broadcast from
Dakar, which was heard by the
Canadian Broadcasting Co., an
nouncing chat the French governor
general there had put the military
command of his post under Admiral
Darlan.
This appeared to confirm the state
ment made by the former Vichy de-
tense chief.
Defended by $4,000.
| Dakar is the most important
French naval base of the West
African coast and recently was re-
ported by Fighting French forces to
be defended by $4,000 or so 900 men,
as well as considerable numbers OF
tanks and planes and naval flotilla
which includes the 35,000-ton battle
ship Richelieu.:
On area French West Africa
is the largest unit of the French
Empire, covering 1,815.768 square
miles, and besides Dakar includes
Senegal, French Guinea, the
French Sudan, Dahomey, Ivory
Coast, Mauritania and Niger. :
The population totals about 49,
100000.
(Already this great territory
was sandwiched between two
French areas which have thrown
in their lot with the United Ma
tons, the Morocco-Algeria strip
to the north and Equatorial
Africa to the south)
Text of Announcement.
Darlan's announcement, as re-
corded in Vichy, was:
Inhabitants of French Africa,
have this evening good news to an
nounce:
French West Africa has placed
itself freely under my orders. There
fore, French West Africa remains
faithful to the person of the mar
shall. Oarlan insists that he is act
ing under Marshal Petain's au-
thority)
The high commissioner of
France in French West Africa
Gov. Gen. (Pierre) Boisson, and
Gen. Barreau, commander in chief
of the land, sea and air forces, thus
have Joined those eminent leaders,
Gems. HenrD Giraud and (Auguste)
Nogues and Gov. Gen. (Yves) Chatel
(of Algeria.
Inhabitants of West Africa: We
are on the right road. Follow me
with discipline!
"Vive la France!"
| Strategic Naval Base.
The prospective acquisition of
Dakar by the Allies was by far the
most important result of the blood
less coup in French West Africa.
This strategic naval base once
was called by President Roosevelt
AN Atlantic fortress" against the
Axis. The Vichy French said they
would defend it against anybody
clear to the end
In fact, the strongly fortified base
repulsed a landing attempt by the
Free French in 1910 to account for
Vichy's only military victory since
the fall of France.
| With Dakar under Allied control
the Axis Is bereft of a potential
starting point for an offensive west
ward against the Americas,
Only 1850 miles from Recife.
Brazil, the base possesses one of the
best harbors in Africa-the largest
In the colony of Senegal, of which
1t is the capital-and adequate.
modern docks and equipment.
It's airports are modern with new
facilities for handling air passengers
and freight. 1t has an excellent
water supply, the climate is health.
full, the transportation good.
Governor General Boisson di.
rected the successful defense of
Dakar against the ill-starred Free
French expedition in 1910.