Evening star., 1942-11-10

North Africa was known but, while
anybody could have figured that
out by reading the Vichy and Ber-
lin dispatches which have been for
the last few days fishing for infor-
nation, 1t was impossible for any
one to know the zero hour for the
landing or the nature and size Of
the expedition which was to land
in North Africa on both the Medi-
terranean and the Atlantic Coasts.
The plan has long been in the
making. It required = stupendous
amount Of material and a co-ordi-
nation Of detail which tells the
world that the "blitzkrieg" Of the
German general STATS, 80 highly
publicized heretofore, has its rival
In the American initiative launched
on . wider scale with = long over
seas journey and combining at the
point Of attack seapower, land
power and airpower.
High Command Scores.
Nothing Of this magnitude has
ever been tried before. The sud-
denness OF the maneuver, As we'll
as its oomprehensiveness, is = tri-
butte to the genius Of the combined
Chief Of stan, which is the high
command comprising British-Amer-
lean chiefs Of Army and Navy and
Air Forces-a high command that
has its headquarters in Washington.
The personnel of that combined
Chiefs Of Staff Is well worth noting.
Gen. George c. Marshall and Ad-
miral Ernest J. King, who have
been In broad command Of the
operations Of the Army and Navy,
had the benefit Of the counsel Of
Admiral William D. Leahy, who
came back from his post as Ambas-
ssdor to Vichy with minute knowl-
edge of just what the Mediterranean
operation involved.
As former chief Of naval opera
tions, Admiral Leahy was just the
man to send to Vichy. When he
returned, he was the very man
needed to- coordinate Army and
Navy and act as liaison officer be-
tween the President and, the heads
OF the Army and Navy. AS Chief of
Staff to the President, he naturally
presided at the meetings Of the COM
bined Chiefs of STAFF.
1t will be noted that Admiral Sir
Andrew Cunningham, who has been
representing the British Navy here
on the combined Chiefs Of Staff, is
now in command of the British
naval forces in and around North
Africa. 7
King Decided Navy Force.
Here, therefore, was an oppor-
tunity to confer in person and plan
an operation and then execute it.
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who is the
American commander in chief in
North Africa, had the benefit Of
many consultations with Gen. Mar
shall, who sent him overseas. Every
detail Of naval planning was In the
hands Of Admiral King, commander
In chief Of the United States Fleet,
who has the unprecedented task of
lighting . war in two oceans.
On Admiral Kings shoulders is
the burden Of deciding what strength
can be spared for the Atlantic or
the Pacific, as each contingency
arises. It is not known how much
Of Americas naval strength is con-
centrated In North African waters,
but 1t may be assumed that the Brit
ish Navy Is bearing = considerable
share Of the burden Of this naval
task.
To synchronize the British and
American naval operations. and at
the same time to carry on the land
ing operations with American troops
protected by American airpower, in
volved tactics Of the most highly
dangerous nature, because every
thing had to work on a time table
and the slightest slip might have
meant big casualties.
Real Challenge Ahead.
There are many sighs Of relief to-
day. The program went as per
schedule and plan. The fear was
that Hitler might have become
aware Of the scheme and concen-
trated air forces among the French
to meet 1t. or that some move might
be made elsewhere in Southern
Europe to harass our landings. But
every hour gained now before Hitler
is able to organize . counter stroke
is just so much more than the
American Government had expected,
which Is but another way Of say