GENERAL MARSHALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1943, Page 3

GENERAL MARSHALL

REPORTED NOMINATION AS ANGLO-AMERICAN SUPREME COMMANDER. MAY DIRECT ATTACK ACROSS CHANNEL. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) WASHINGTON. September 21 “The nomination of General Marshall, as commander-in-chief of all British and American forces in the field—ground sea and air—was perhaps the major decision reached at Quebec,” says an Associated Press correspondent. “If it meets with the final approval of Mr Churchill’s Cabinet, as is expected, it will put General Marshall al the head of the whole global field command with authority to co-ordinate aggressive action on all fronts under the Quebec directives. It will recognise also that in the successive inter-Allicd military conferences, from Washington to Cassablanca and Quebec, the American Chief of Staff was the out-standing contributor to the fashioning of the strategic plans for victory. '

“Rumours that General Marshall is to be released from his present Chief of staff assignment are due to the pressure of interests opposed to him. presumably British, and are in direct conflict with the facts. General Marshall has won the admiration and respect of all British officials with whom he has been in contact, including Mr Churchill.

“The unprecedented scope of General Marshall’s contemplated ultimate command, giving him presumptive^authority even over General Eisenhower in the Mediterranean. General MacArthur in the South-West Pacific, and Admiral Mountbatten in South-Eastern Asia, might stir a debate in Britain, but it is undestood to be wholly acceptable to Canada and to the French forces in the Mediterranean. One thing is absolutely certain: General Marshall stands so high in President Roosevelt’s estimation, both personally and professionally, that any change which is not wanted by General Marshall would be vetoed by the White House.

“The primary dominating element of the Allied war plans still is to smash Germany first and then turn the full weight of the everincreasing British and American power against Japan. For that reason, General Marshall is expected to assume the command of the direct attack across the English Channel on Germany in f-rance and the Low Countries.

“A highly-placed Government official staled today that ‘our toughest job is to reach Berlin, and Marshall is the toughest.soldier we have to do it.’ The official also indicated that the British and American joint chiefs of staff saw General Marshall as the only officer of either nation to whose supreme command both could trust in the tremendous task of completing victory. This involves not only placing Britain’s main army and her home fleet and home air forces under other than a British commander for the farreaching offensive actions across the Channel which are contemplated,’ but even linking the operations in the Pacific, Asia. India and China with a unified central field command in due course.”