UNITY OF COMMAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1942, Page 4

UNITY OF COMMAND

ACHIEVED BY ALLIES IMPRESSIVE RESULTS IN AFRICA. EMPHASISED BY GENERAL MARSHALL. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 10. General Marshall, United States Chief of Staff, said the African invasion had provided a very impressive example of the practical application of unity of command, which was one of the United Nations’ biggest problems. The remarkable success in co-ordinating efforts was the most heartening ’ single factor in the conflict. Three weeks after Pearl Harbour, the United States and Britain had organised a combined action system which still served as a working basis for the strategical direction of war efforts, the allocation of forces and materials and munitions and production co-ordination. “We have American expeditionary forces supported by British fliers and army units, all controlled by a comman-der-in-chief. General Eisenhower, and a deputy-commander-in-chief, General Clark,” said General Marshall. “They are served by a combined staff of British and American officers—soldiers, sailors and aviators. Distinguished and experienced British Army and Navy officers, senior to General Eisenhower, have subordinated themselves to his leadership. British Cabinet instructions to Army commanders serving under General Eisenhower furnish a model of a great nation's readiness to co-operate in every possible manner. I go into details because this should be no secret. It will be particularly depressing news to our enemies. It is a declaration of their doom.”