Evening star., 1942-06-25
Forces Declared
Arriving in Britain
At Increasing Rate
By NELSON Nj. SHEPARD.

ESldDllSIlIlelll Vi q GuIOptdl
theater of operations for the
United States forces now in Eng
land and Northern Ireland was
announced today by the War De-
partment in a communique.
Maj. Gen. Dwight D. Eisen-
hover, chief Of the Operations Di-
vision of the Army's general staff,
has been designated commanding
general with headquarters in Lon
don, and is believed to have as
sumed the task of working out de-
tails for an Allied invasion of the
continent.
The War Department defined a
"theater of operations" as "an area
where combat is in progress or will
be-" A department. spokesman ex-
planned that such theater usually
is divided into combat or 'front.'
line zones and zone of communi-
cations and supply, but added that
with air power so important there
Is little difference now between
front and rear areas"
In statement, issued on his ar
rival in England today, Gen. Eisen-
hover declared formal establish
ment of a European theater was a
move to merge the military and
economic strength of Britain and
the United States for common
effort"
Forces Constantly Increase.
He declared the presence of Amer
lean soldiers and pilots in ever
increasing numbers in the British
Isles is evidence that we are hew-
ing to the line of that pattern
The War Department announce
ment was made Immediately after
the arrival of Gen. Eisenhower was
reported in London, and stimuli
taneous announcement was made
there.
Gen. Eisenhower conferred with
President Roosevelt and Prime Min
lister Churchill only last Monday,
according to reports from London,
which added that he was expected
to start conferences soon with Gen.
Sir Alan Brooke, British chief OF
general staff. and other military
and British armies for offensive &C
ton. He had conferred with them
in a previous visit to London which
ended only early this month.
Gen. Eisenhower was in close con-
tact with Lord Louis Mountbatten,
chief of the British commandos, be-
fore leaving the United States.
Gen. Eisenhower's Statement.
The statement issued in London
by the new European commander:
"I have been assigned to command
the European theater for the United
States forces. The formal estab-
lishment of a European theater is
q logical step in co-ordinating the
efforts of Britain and the United
States.
six months ago the Prime Min
lister of Great Britain and the Presl-
dent of the United States heartened
the peoples of the United Nations
by moving swiftly to merge the
military and economic strength OF
Britain and the United States for
a common effort.
"At that Washington conference
they set more effective pattern Tor
UNQUALIFIED partnership than has
ever before been envisaged by allied
nations in pursuit of common pur-
pose. Only recently they have met
again to bring combined action into
even closer coordination.
The present here in the British
isles of American soldiers and pilots
in rapidly increasing numbers is
evidence that we are hewlng to the
line of that pattern
CLANCY and Hartle Keep Posts:
Mai. Gen. James CLANCY has been
in command of the American forces
in England and Maj. Gen. Russell
P. Hartle is in command OF our
forces in Northern Ireland. Both
these officers are still at their posts.
Designation of the European the
ater of operations gave weight to
the belief here that the United Ma
tions are building up to a long
awaited second front to engage the
German forces at some quarter OF
occupied Europe. The War Depart
ment gave no Interpretation of the
facts as set forth in the COM
munique.
The text of the communique fol-
lows:
Il. European theater:
The War Department today an
nounced the formal establishment
of a European theater of operations
for United States forces. Maj. Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, formerly as
sistant chief of staff in charge OF
operations division, War Depart
ment general staff, has been desig-
mated as commanding general,
European theater, with headquar-
ters in London, England.
%. There is nothing to report
from other areas"