MOROCCO: Violence & Vacillation

Across the Mediterranean to troubled North Africa poured the greatest flow of reinforcements since the days when Rommel's Afrika Korps held sway. The French cruiser Montcalm landed a battalion of French infantrymen at Casablanca, and a steamer brought 400 more; nine battalions started moving to Algeria, following the six from Germany that had already arrived; transport aircraft brought naval commandos. Back in France, 100,000 conscripts had their period of service lengthened indefinitely; 50,000 reservists were recalled to the colors. All told, the rapid build-up brought French strength in colonial North Africa to some 200,000 men —more than there are...

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