The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-16

| falling back under the full fury of the German assault, and it was accepted at the London Confer ence that everything practicable must be done to reduce the pres sure on the Soviet lest she c,l- lapse and the door be opened wi6e for a complete conquest of Europe and a probable juncture with the Japanese in the Indian Ocean.
 In the discussions at this con- ference, a tenative target date for the cross-Channel operations, designed by the code name ROUNDUP, was set for the summer of 1943. However, the immediate necessity of an emergency plan was recognized. It was given the code name SLEDGEHAMMER and was to provide for diversionary assault on the French coast at much earlier date if such desperate measure became necessary.
 Tn June. the Prime Minister and General Sir Alan F Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, re- turned to Washington for 8 fur ther discussion of SLEDGEHAM- MFR and ROUNDUP, and a pos sible operation in the Mediterra-- mean. During these discussions, the Allied situation in North Africa took a more serious turn, eliminating in the loss of Tobruk. The discussions thereafter were devoted almost exclusively to the measures to be taken to meet the threat facing Cairo, Rommel's forces having been checked with difficulty on the Fl Alamein line. Further advances by his Afrika Korps, with its Italian reinforce ments, and German successes along the southeastern portion of the Soviet front threatened a com- plete collapse in the Middle East, the loss Of the Suez Canal and the vital oil supply in the vicinity of Abadan. It was very black hour.
 In July, Admiral King and I went to London for further meet ings with the British Chiefs of Staff. to determine If there were not something that could be done immediately to lessen the pressure on the Soviet. whose armies were facing a crisis. Poverty of equip ment. especially in landing craft, and the short period remaining when the weather would permit cross- Channel movement of small craft, ruled out the diversionary operation SLEDGEHAMMER for 1942.
 African Landings Decided On
 After prolonged discussions, 1t became evident that the only separation that could be under taken with a fair prospect of suc- cess that year wash TORCH. the assault on North Africa Landings there would be long way from Germany but should serve to di- vert at least some German pres sure from the Red Army, and would materially improve the critical situ- ation in the Middle East. It was therefore decided, with the approval of the President and the Prime Minister. to mount the North Africa assault at the earliest possible mo- ment accepting the fact that this would mean not only thhe abandon ment of the possibility of any oper- ation in Western Europe that year, but that the necessary build-up for the croSs-Channel build-up for the Channel assault could not be completed in 1943.
 General Eisenhower, who was then established with his head quarters in London, directing the planning and assembling of Ameri- can resources was, with the gen. erous acceptance of the British and American Forces which were to carry out the landings in North Africa. On 13 August he received the formal directive to proceed with the operation. The target date was fixed for early November
 We have since learned that the German plan at that time was to attempt the defeat of Britain by aerial bombardment and by de- struction of her army and re- sources in the Middle East Col onel General Jodl, chief of the Ger man Armed Forces Operations Staff has disclosed that it was Hitler's plan to break through Stalingrad and Egypt, and join these two sali- ents in the Middle East.
 The heroic defense of Stalin- grad and General Montgomery's crushing defeat of Rommel at FL Alamein disclosed these gigantic pincers. The further development of the operations in North Africa from the east and the west, and the Soviet offensive from the Volga proved to be the turning points at which the Axis was forced on the strategic defensive. NEXT: Casablanca Conference)
 
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