851R.01/75: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers ( Wiley ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 13—7:56 p.m.]
46. From Murphy. On December 311 sent through Agwar 43 telegram 3575, December 30, 1911–2 [1942],44 to you, recommending, with the concurrence of the C-in-C.,45 that West Africa be included under this civil affairs jurisdiction. Admiral Glassford,46 who leaves today on his return to Dakar, confirms previous indications we had had that Boisson47 is very anxious to link West Africa to Algiers in economic as well as political and military matters. Glassford also stated to us informally that on the basis of his discussions and observation in Dakar he felt strongly that this was desirable. Herbert48 and other British on NAEB,49 however, have taken a fixed position that French West Africa should be tied in under Lord Swinton50 and the economy of the whole of West Africa51 with perhaps the establishment in Dakar of an independent counter part to NAEB. We have taken informally an equally fixed position that French West Africa must be tied in economically as well as politically with Algiers. I would therefore, appreciate instructions and guidance on this question as soon as possible.
At Glassford’s request Rosenthal,52 Short,53 and Lieutenant Colonel Spofford54 will go this week to Dakar to assist Glassford and to study the situation on the ground. Rosenthal will return to Washington from Dakar, Short and Spofford to return here. Rosenthal’s return at this time meets with my entire approval as I think it would be well for him to report on the entire economic situation in this whole area. [Murphy.]
- Adjutant General, War Department.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Commander in Chief; reference is to General Eisenhower.↩
- Rear Adm. William A. Glassford, Head of the United States Military Mission to French West Africa. For information on this mission, see George F. Howe, Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West, in the series United States Army in World War II: The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1957), pp. 271–272.↩
- Pierre Boisson, Governor General of French West Africa.↩
- Roscoe Herbert, Chief British Economic Adviser, North African Economic Board.↩
- North African Economic Board.↩
- British Minister Resident in West Africa.↩
- See correspondence regarding proposal to appoint an American representative as counterpart of British Minister Resident in West Africa, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iv, pp. 37 ff.↩
- Morris Rosenthal, Assistant Director, Board of Economic Warfare.↩
- Livingston Short, Head of the United States Lend Lease Mission to North Africa, and Chief of the Import Division, North African Economic Board.↩
- Lt. Col. Charles M. Spofford, Financial Adviser on special duty with General Eisenhower.↩