What was the codename for the British/American landings in French North Africa, begun in November 1942?
"border its western neighbor on the modern boundary between Niger and Chad. After the Fall of France in June 1940 and the two battles of Dakar against the Free French Forces in July and September 1940, authorities in West Africa declared allegiance to the Vichy regime, as did the colony of French Gabon in AEF. Gabon fell to Free France after the Battle of Gabon in November 1940, but West Africa remained under Vichy control until the Allied landings in North Africa (operation ""Torch"") in November 1942. Following World War II, the French government began a process of extending limited"
"was the British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African campaign of World War II, which started on 8 November 1942. The Americans attacked at three different locations in French North Africa, one of the three being the landings at Casablanca because of its important port and the major administrative centres. Casablanca was an important strategic port during World War II and hosted the Casablanca Conference in 1943, in which Churchill and Roosevelt discussed the progress of the war. Casablanca was the site of a large American air base, which was the staging area for all American aircraft"
"of El Alamein in November 1942. In July 1942, the Allies, discussed relatively small-scale amphibious operations to land in northern France during 1942 (Operation Sledgehammer, which was the forerunner of Operation Roundup, the main landings in 1943), but agreed that these operations were impractical and should be deferred. Instead it was agreed that landings would be made to secure the Vichy territories in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and then to thrust east to take the Axis forces in the Western Desert in their rear. An Allied occupation of the whole of the North African coast would open the"
"thence to the East Coast of the United States for a many-weeks-long overhaul. On 8 November 1942, Operation Torch—the code name of the Anglo-American effort to conquer Northwestern Africa from the Vichy French and Nazi Germany, and thence to expel the Axis Powers from Africa—got underway. Off Casablanca, French Morocco, the heavy cruisers ""Tuscaloosa"" and ""Wichita"" joined the new American battleship , the aircraft carrier ""Ranger"" and numerous light cruisers and destroyers as the ""big guns"" for the segment of Operation Torch in Morocco. (Other forces invaded Algeria via the Mediterranean Sea.) As American troops waded ashore, ""Tuscaloosa""s powerful 8-inch,"
"in the North African Campaign. It ended the Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal, and of gaining access to the Middle Eastern and Persian oil fields via North Africa. As the Eighth Army pushed west across the desert, capturing Libya, German forces occupied southern France and landed in Tunisia. On 8 November, Allied forces launched Operation Torch landing in various places across French North Africa. In December 1942, after a 101-day British blockade, French Somaliland fell to the Allies. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the United States joined the war. On 8 November"
"8 November 1942, Allied landings in French North Africa (Operation Torch) began. ""Jean Bart"", with her guns opened fire on the U.S. warships covering the landings, with range finding data sent by phone from the shore stations of Sidi Abderhamane and Dar Bou Azza. She was silenced by the second hit from the guns of , which jammed her turret rotating mechanism. The sixth of the seven shells that hit her exploded in a magazine of turret, which was empty as these turrets had not been installed. Had they been, this event would have had catastrophic consequences. These magazines' armor"
"the forthcoming North African invasion, American planners decided to combine these two assets already in England and at the end of September 1942 a number of American pilots in the RAF were invited to transfer to the USAAF. Deployed from England to Port Lyautey Airfield, French Morocco, during the period 3 Jan to 28 Feb 1943. The Ground Echelon, finally joined each other at Oujda Airfield, French Morocco, a few days after their arrival in North Africa on 3 January 1943. The Ground Echelon had arrived off North Africa in the first week of November 1942 from the United States"
"American and British forces landed at several points along the coast of French Morocco and Algeria on November 8, 1942, during Operation Torch. This came only days after the breakthrough of the British Eighth Army (Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Montgomery) following the Second Battle of El Alamein. In response, German and Italian troops were ferried in from Sicily to occupy Tunisia, one of the few easily defended areas of North Africa and only one night's sail from bases in Sicily. This short passage made it very difficult for Allied naval vessels to intercept Axis transports, while air interdiction proved equally difficult"
"Operation Torch Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942, formerly Operation Gymnast) was an Anglo–American invasion of French North Africa, during the North African Campaign of the Second World War. Torch was the debut of the mass involvement of US troops in the European–North African Theatre. The Soviet Union had long pressed the US and British to start operations in Europe and open a second front, to reduce the pressure of German forces on the Red Army. While US commanders favored Operation Sledgehammer, a landing in Occupied Europe as soon as possible, British commanders believed that it was premature and likely to"
"Approx. 33,000 officers and enlisted Notes Further reading Operation Torch Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942, formerly Operation Gymnast) was an Anglo–American invasion of French North Africa, during the North African Campaign of the Second World War. Torch was the debut of the mass involvement of US troops in the European–North African Theatre. The Soviet Union had long pressed the US and British to start operations in Europe and open a second front, to reduce the pressure of German forces on the Red Army. While US commanders favored Operation Sledgehammer, a landing in Occupied Europe as soon as possible, British commanders"
"became Operation Overlord. Operation Roundup (1942) Operation Roundup was the codename for a 1942 plan for an invasion of Northern France by Allied forces during World War II. The plan, for an invasion in the spring of 1943, overseen by Brigadier General Dwight D. Eisenhower, reflected American enthusiasm for an early entry into Europe. Senior British commanders and politicians were reluctant to commit themselves to the invasion plan; mindful of the painful losses during the Battle of the Somme (on the first day of the battle, the British Army lost almost 60,000 men) and the Battle of Passchendaele in the"
"Operation Roundup (1942) Operation Roundup was the codename for a 1942 plan for an invasion of Northern France by Allied forces during World War II. The plan, for an invasion in the spring of 1943, overseen by Brigadier General Dwight D. Eisenhower, reflected American enthusiasm for an early entry into Europe. Senior British commanders and politicians were reluctant to commit themselves to the invasion plan; mindful of the painful losses during the Battle of the Somme (on the first day of the battle, the British Army lost almost 60,000 men) and the Battle of Passchendaele in the First World War,"
"Africa in November 1942, being deployed to the new Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), and was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force in French Morocco in November. In North Africa, the squadron engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations, bombing marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors and other targets in North Africa. The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. It took part in the Allied operations against Axis forces in North Africa during March–May 1943 and the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusain islands during June. Squadron"
"consequences reaching into the Cold War. Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the Allied invasion of Southern France on 15August 1944. The operation was initially to take place in conjunction with Operation Overlord, the Allied landing in Normandy, but a lack of resources led to cancellation of the second landing. By July 1944, the landing was reconsidered, as the ports of Normandy did not have the capacity to supply Allied forces adequately. Concurrently, the French High Command pushed for a revival of the operation that would include large numbers of French troops. As a"
"over France and performing practice missions under the Royal Air Force's guidance. The Ground echelon left Atcham on 30 October 1942, and sailed on the USS ""Brazil"" and USS ""Uruguay"" from Liverpool and arrived in Oran, Algeria on 10 November 1942. The air echelon departed for North Africa on 6 November 1942, and flew to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria from 10 to 14 November 1942. From bases in Algeria, and later Tunisia, the group flew escort, strafing, and reconnaissance missions from the middle of November 1942 to late in January 1943. In November, Lt. Carl T. Williams scored the first United"
"Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the Allied invasion of Southern France on 15August 1944. The operation was initially to take place in conjunction with Operation Overlord, the Allied landing in Normandy, but a lack of resources led to cancellation of the second landing. By July 1944, the landing was reconsidered, as the ports of Normandy did not have the capacity to supply Allied forces adequately. Concurrently, the French High Command pushed for a revival of the operation that would include large numbers of French troops. As a result, the operation was finally approved"
"Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa (French colonial possessions in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco) during the war. Following the major reorganization of the Allied air forces at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, RAF Gibraltar became a major sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command under Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder in February 1943. On 29 May 1945 the Area Combined Headquarters was shut down and most of the personnel sent home. Weather flights from Gibraltar were maintained at the end of the war by No. 520 Squadron RAF flying Halifaxes. This was superseded by a detachment of No. 518"
"Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later Europe) from Nazi control, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front. Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as"
"before the landing in North Africa on 8 November 1942. Finally, after François Darlan's turn towards the Free Forces — Darlan had been president of the Council of Vichy from February 1941 to April 1942 — they played him against de Gaulle. US General Mark W. Clark of the combined Allied command made Admiral Darlan sign on 22 November 1942 a treaty putting ""North Africa at the disposition of the Americans"" and making France ""a vassal country"". Washington then imagined, between 1941 and 1942, a protectorate status for France, which would be submitted after the Liberation to an Allied Military"
"evacuated to North Africa to avoid capture. Here, they fell under control of the Vichy government and briefly engaged the Allies during Operation Torch the Allied invasion of French North Africa in November 1942. After French forces in North Africa had sided with the Allies, DB-7s were used as trainers and were replaced in its experienced units by Martin B-26 Marauders to serve as front line escadrilles. Free French I/120 Lorraine, under RAF control, was based in England and re-equipped in 1943 with Boston IIIAs, later with Boston IVs. It was part of Second Tactical Air Force and carried out"
"the end of 1942. Reflecting the growing strength of Free France was the foundation of the French National Committee (""Comité national français"", CNF) in September 1941 and the official name change from ""France Libre"" to ""France combattante "" in July 1942. The United States granted Lend-Lease support to the CNF on 24 November. In June 1942, the British attacked the strategically important colony of French Madagascar, hoping to prevent its falling into Japanese hands and especially the use of Diego-Suarez's harbour as a base for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Once again the Allied landings faced resistance from Vichy forces, led"
"U.S. component of the Operation Torch landings in November 1942. The force was then renamed U.S. Naval Forces, Northwest Africa Waters or COMNAVNAW. On 1 February 1946, U.S. Naval Forces, Northwest African Waters, was redesignated U.S. Naval Forces, Mediterranean, which later became the United States Sixth Fleet. Still under Hewitt's command, the renamed Eighth Fleet supported the landings in Sicily, Operation Husky, and at Salerno, Operation Avalanche, the first sustained land assault and invasion of the European mainland in World War II. Eighth Fleet then supported the August 1944 landing of Allied troops on the coast of southern France, Operation"
"Mediterranean Theater of Operations The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army (MTOUSA), originally called the North African Theater of Operations (NATOUSA), was the American term for the theater of operations covering North Africa and Italy during World War II. American operations in the theater began with the Allied Expeditionary Force, which landed on the beaches of northwest Africa on November 8, 1942, in Operation ""Torch"". They ended in the Italian Alps some 31 months later with the German surrender in May 1945. The operational command of the MTO USA was a combined U.S.–British operational command called Allied Forces Headquarters"
"Operation Crossbow Crossbow was the code name of the World War II campaign of Anglo-American ""operations against all phases of the German long-range weapons programme. It included operations against research and development of the weapons, their manufacture, transportation and their launching sites, and against missiles in flight"". The original 1943 code name ""Bodyline"" was replaced with ""Crossbow"" on November 15, 1943. Post-war, Crossbow operations became known as Operation ""Crossbow"" as early as 1962, particularly following the 1965 film of the same name. In May 1943 Allied surveillance observed the construction of the first of 11 large sites in northern France"
"during Operation Torch, launched on 8 November 1942 as the Allied invasion of North Africa. Facing the U.S. Navy task force headed for Morocco, consisting of the carriers ""Ranger"", ""Sangamon"", ""Santee"" and ""Suwannee"", were, in part, Vichy squadrons based at Marrakech, Meknès, Agadir, Casablanca and Rabat, which between them could muster some 86 fighters and 78 bombers. Overall, the aircraft may have been old compared to the Grumman F4F Wildcats of the U.S. Navy, yet they were still dangerous and capable in the hands of combat veterans who had seen action against both the Germans and the British since the"
"Force in the southeastern United States. It was deployed initially to England in September 1942 and flew some missions under VIII Bomber Command over German-occupied France; attacking enemy troop formations, bridges and airfields. It was part of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa in November 1942, being deployed to the new Mediterranean Theater of Operations. The squadron was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force in French Morocco in November, when it was engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations, bombing marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors and other objectives in North Africa."
"yet possess the resources to mount a full invasion, invasion plans that came to be known as Operation Sledgehammer were drawn up, in case the German position in Western Europe weakened or the USSR's situation became dire. In August 1942 Anglo-Canadian forces attempted an abortive landing—Operation Jubilee—at the French port of Dieppe; the landing was designed to test the feasibility of a cross-channel invasion. The attack was poorly planned and ended in disaster; 4,963 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. Following the Anglo-American victory against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in North Africa in May 1943, British, American and Canadian troops"
"British and Free French forces attacked later Syria and Lebanon in June–July 1941, and in 1942 Allied forces took over French Madagascar. More and more colonies abandoned Vichy, joining the Free French territories of French Equatorial Africa, Polynesia, New Caledonia and others who had sided with de Gaulle from the start. In November 1942 Vichy French troops briefly resisted the landing of Allied troops in French North Africa for a couple of days, until Admiral François Darlan negotiated a local ceasefire with the Allies. In response to the landings, Axis troops invaded the non-occupied zone in southern France and ended"
"Allied side. Admiral François Darlan had landed in Algiers the day before Operation Torch. Roosevelt and Churchill accepted Darlan, rather than de Gaulle, as the French leader in North Africa. Dwight D. Eisenhower accepted Darlan as high commissioner of North Africa and French West Africa (AEF), a move that enraged de Gaulle, who refused to recognize Darlan's status. After Darlan signed an armistice with the Allies and took power in North Africa, Germany invaded Vichy France on 10 November 1942 (operation code-named Case Anton), triggering the scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon. General Henri Giraud had switched from Vichy"
"turned to Henri Giraud shortly before the landing on 8 November 1942, but he had little local support. By hapstance the Vichy leader Admiral François Darlan was captured and supported the Americans. The Allies, with General Dwight D. Eisenhower in charge, signed a deal with Admiral Darlan on 22 November 1942 in which the Allies recognized Darlan as high commissioner for North Africa and West Africa. The Allied world was stunned at giving a high command to man who days before had been collaborating with the Nazis; Roosevelt and Churchill supported Eisenhower, for he was following a plan that had"
"Lyautey on November 10. Additional air support was provided by the carrier , whose squadrons intercepted Vichy aircraft and bombed hostile ships. The Western Task Force landed before daybreak on 8 November 1942, at three points in Morocco: Safi (Operation Blackstone), Fedala (Operation Brushwood, the largest landing with 19,000 men), and Mehdiya-Port Lyautey (Operation Goalpost). Because it was hoped that the French would not resist, there were no preliminary bombardments. This proved to be a costly error as French defenses took a toll of American landing forces. On the night of 7 November, pro-Allied General Antoine Béthouart attempted a ""coup"
"vessels were lost by being sunk or scuttled, in addition to the three submarines sunk during the Battle of Madagascar in May 1942. French forces in North Africa were taken by surprise when the Allied landings began on the morning of 8 November. At Casablanca, the ""Le Tonnant"", and ""Sidi-Ferruch"" came under heavy attack from American aircraft. The commander of ""Le Tonnant"", ""Lieutenant de vaissau"" Paumier, was killed, and the commander of ""Sidi-Ferruch"", ""Capitaine de corvette"" Laroze, was wounded. On 9 November ""Le Tonnant"" launched her last torpedoes against the aircraft carrier , but the carrier evaded them. ""Le Tonnant"""
"of the Operation Torch invasion of North Africa in November 1942, being deployed to the new Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO). It was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force in French Morocco in November. The squadron engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations; bombing marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors and other objectives in North Africa. The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. It took part in the Allied operations against Axis forces in North Africa during March–May 1943, the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa islands"