Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-25
Shift to Allies HighIighted
DorIon's Mysterious Career
Slain Admiral Seen as Arch-Turncout'
By Some, 'Astute Trader by Others

was accorded him for exceptional
services at the London Naval Con-
ference.
He was named commander of the
first division of the most modern
1o.000-ton cruisers shortly there
after.
Took Charge of Fleet.
Promoted to vice admiral in 1882,
Admiral Darlan took command of
the Atlantic fleet October 4, 1882,
and distinguished himself in the
Mediterranean maneuvers in 1885.
In 1886 he was asked by M.
Gasnier-Duparc, Minister of the
Navy, to assume the dictatorship of
his cabinet militaire. In December
of the same year he became chef
d'etat major general of the navy
and vice president of the Conseil
Superior de la Marine.
In recognition of his services he
was awarded the Grand-Croix
(highest Distinction of the Legion
Of Honor December 81. 1887.
Admiral Darlan was made "Ad-
miral of France" in supreme COM
nand of all French naval forces,
June 6, 1889, only months before the
start of hostilities in World War II.
In that capacity he participated in
formulation of major Allied strategy
comforting with Prime Minister Win
ston Churchill on the British states
mans notable visit to Paris Novem-
Der 3, 1889, and making various visits
to London for meetings of the Allied
supreme war council before the fall
Of France.
Vichy-Nazi 60 Between"
His apparent turn to German COL
liberation was swift after the COL
lapse OF French land resistance. AS
early as October %, while he served
IN Petain cabinets which followed
the French surrender, he was re-
ported ready to join Pierre Laval
In accepting German terms and
making war on Britain.
He was leading conferee in the
French-German negotiations OF
December, 1910, and was reported
to have taken a letter from Petain
to Hitler in December of that year
He acted as go-between for Vichy
France and the Nazis and their
collaborators in Paris, during the
1941 cabinet shuff1es.
He became vice premier February
to Marshal Petain a day later. He
headed a new set-up of five cabinet
ministers arranged later that month
Admiral Darlan was reported tc
have been the moving spirit behind
a plan to convoy all French ships
If the British continued their block
ade of France during that period,
but all the time he insisted in pub
lie statements that the French fleet
would not be delivered to Hitler
and that France alone would defend
the colonies, without German
help" Reliable advices had him
refusing the Axis North African
bases.
Conversely, in a speech June 10,
1940, the Admiral told the French
people the nation must cleave to
Germany or perish"
Chief Negotiator With Japan.
He was chief negotiator for
France in the deal with Japan
whereby the latter took over the
joint protection" of French Indo-
China which provided a major
springboard for Japan's conquests
in the Indies and South Seas.
Admiral Darlan took military con-
troll of North Afrcia into his own
hands when Gen. Maxine Weygand
was ousted from that command
November 20, 1941. Along the same
line, interpreted at the time as a
move to clear the French armed
forces of pro-Allied elements, he re-
cast the Army January 9, 1912, re-
firing AZ generals. A month later
he was reported to have agreed to
send supplies to Tunis to aid the
Axis in Libya.
Practically, Admiral Darlan had
been in control of all French armed
forces since he became Petains
appointed heir. The position was
made official April II, 1912, and his
assumption of the post was the sig
nal for the recall of United States
Ambassador Leahy.
Admiral Darlan's anti-Allied ut
terances and actions continued as