740.0011 European War 1939/20488: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 19—7:41 p.m.]
167. For the Under Secretary from Murphy. My letters of January 12 and 13.90 The military group in North Africa, headed by a French officer in whom I have confidence (described in my airmail report to you of March 1491) who heads an organization comprising 26,000 young, trained fighting men, acting in liaison with officers of the regular military establishment, has now given me a revised program suggested for American intervention in French North Africa. This is going forward by first clipper courier and a copy has also been given Naval Attaché Eddy.…
The French officer in question is emerging from the several elements in this area as possibly the young, fearless, experienced and capable military leader on whom we may rely. He possesses a reasonable degree of prestige. He proposes the liquidation of some of the old-line French military who by reason of age and timidity have lost their punch.
He states the opinion that hostilities will be resumed in this area as early as the month of May 1942.
The present revised program is the work of the same persons who are responsible for the program transmitted on January 12 (high-ranking French army officers).
[Page 272]The program increases original estimates of American personnel and equipment which would be required should the United States determine on military intervention in this area during the near future. It also estimates that the French forces in French North Africa available within a short delay necessary to equip them would comprise 12 motorized divisions and 4 armored divisions (a French division is rated at 2,000 [20,000] effectives or approximately a total of 30,000 [300,000] men). A considerable portion of these eventually would be available for service in other theatres of operation.
Colonel Eddy urges that I suggest the necessity of an immediate answer to this plan. I recommend that it be accorded as prompt consideration as may be possible in the light of current conversations at Vichy and also that I be given whatever directives may be practicable. [Murphy.]