Imperial Valley press., 1943-02-26
French Genera!
Saved From Death
By Yank Troops

NEW YORK, Feb. 26. - tUP)-
American forces quelled resistance
in French Morocco last November
Just in time to save Gen. Emile
Bethouart from court-martial
which had stalled about as long as
it could and would have sent him
before a firing squad.
Bethouart, who heads a French
military mission in the United
States, told of his narrow escape
] today.
Admiral William D. Leahy then
ambassador to Vichy. and Robert
Murphy, now minister to French
! North Africa. had been sounding
OFT the prospects of support in
North Africa for six months
NOGUES SUSPICIOUS
The Germans tried to get Gen.
Auguste Nogues, governor general
of Morocco, fired. fearing he would
quickly fall in with the Allies. No
CUES was suspicious of the Allies
plan because he was afraid the
Americans would land just enough
i troops to give the Germans an ex-
cuse to seize North Africa.
Some one had to compromise
/ himself or we might have lost the
opportunity for France, so 1 did, :"
BethoUart said. "EmiSsarieS from
Gen. Henri Giraud who were then
in unoccupied France, communlcat-
ed the plan to me . it was said
to be for this spring
After Lieut.. Gen. Mark w.
Clark's visit, he was told that the
time might be advanced. On No
vember I, he was told that the Al
lies were on their way. At pm.
on Saturday, November 7, he was
handed slip of paper saying the
Americans would land on his Sec
/ tor at 7 am. Sunday.
NOT TO RESIST
/ BethOuart put his division on
/ the shore from the border of Span
/ iSh Morocco southwark about ID
miles and told them not to resist.
/ -Four hours before the landing
was scheduled, he sent his chief of
staff to tell NOgues what was about
i 10 happen. But the Americans
I u,
i ing that Nogues had by then coun-
termanded his orders, Bethouart
went to see him
Nogues agreed that Bethouart
was in a state of rebellion, since
each had given contradictory or
ders. NOgues still thought the
American expedition was puny At
/ Q am, he ordered Bethouart, his
chief of staff. and five Subordi-
mates stripped of arms, and per-
sonal possessions and thrown into
prison.
SAT IN CELL
Il sat in my cell that Sunday
and Monday, hearing the battle ap-
preaching and knowing that my iii
vision was carrying oft, as | knew
they would the orders of my su-
perior, General Nogues,' he said
During this time. my three pris
on guards came to me separately to
assure me that they were greatly
troubled by the whole thing One
of them had been wounded fight
ing the Germans in France before
the collapse in 1910. He was very
moved. I knew that if ] were to
be stood up against a blank wall,
the men of my division who would
be picked by lot to shoot me, would
be sympathetic
Early Monday night, the presi-
dent of the Bar association of Mo-
rocco called, and said Nogues had
ordered him to assign BethOuart q
defending attorney and that he
had undertaken his defense him
self.
TREASON CHARGES
The attorney told BethoU9rt tina
he was 10 be court-ma rtialed thu
next day on charges Of treason ant
! rebellion and would certainly b.
ordered shot
The court-martial convened am
spent Tuesday morning discussing
discipline and the fate of France
AT the noon recess the cour
bailiff informed me secretly tina
General Nogues had directed tn
court TO drag the procedure ant
wait for time" Bethouart said.
so I said, All is going well
Outside the battle drew nearer
Tuesday afternoon passed. The de
cision could have been pronounce
Tuesday night and I expected il
but the court adjourned TO Wed
nesday morning.
AT O'Clock Wednesday morn
ing, the court learned that al
armistice had been signed tw
-. Il L..
American general. George Patton
who commanded the American
forces on my front, had inter
ycneo'