Editorial Note

No official record of this meeting has been found. Churchill (Hinge of Fate, pp. 678–679) describes his meeting with Eaker, date unspecified, during which the latter stated the case for the American daylight [Page 667] bombing procedure and reviewed the preparations in England for the daylight bombing force. Churchill records that he was persuaded to support Eaker and his views. According to Eaker’s diary (Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C), he arrived in Casablanca on January 16 and saw Churchill on January 20 for about half an hour. Arnold (pp. 393 and 395–397) recalls that he asked Eaker to come to Casablanca to help convince Churchill of the soundness of daylight bombing. Arnold adds that on January 19 he told Churchill that he would like him to talk with Generals Andrews, Spaatz, and Eaker, who were then in Casablanca, on the daylight bombing matter, and Churchill did so on the “same day”. Eaker’s visit is not mentioned in the Log or in the communiqué; Spaatz’s visit to Casablanca is mentioned in the Log, ante, p. 529, and in the communiqué, post, p. 847; Andrews’ visit to Casablanca is recorded in the communiqué, p. 847.