740.0011 European War 1939/14486: Telegram

The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State

435. From Murphy. General Weygand informs this morning that there is no foundation for yesterday’s radio reports regarding the appointment of General Huntziger to command military forces in French Africa, replacing Weygand, who would be relegated to a civilian administrative capacity. There is no change in Weygand’s status; he remains in command of the military forces in French Africa. There are changes in the staff. General Odet in command in Tunisia is transferred to Toulouse and replaced by General De Lattre de Tassigny; General Beynet commanding in Algeria is replaced by General Koeltz who has been with the Direction des Services Armistice. General [Page 420] Juin, who has been Adjoint in Command, becomes General in Command of the troops in Morocco. I am told that Weygand fully approves of these changes.

Repeated to Vichy, Tangier, Casablanca, Tunis. [Murphy.]

Cole