GLOBAL FORCES COMMAND

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 308, 23 September 1943, Page 7

GLOBAL FORCES COMMAND

Marshall Mentioned MAY DIRECT ATTACK ON WEST FRONT (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Received September 22, 7.50 p.m.). •WASHINGTON, September 21. The correspondent of the American Associated Press states that General Marshall, the United States Chief of Staff, lias been tentatively chosen to become virtual global commander-in-chief of all the. British and American forces in the field, ground, sett, n«<l air - He will execute victory ou the pattern shaped at Quebec. “The nomination qf General Marshall was (perhaps the major decision reached at Quebec,” says the correspondent. 11 it meets with the final approval of Mr. Churchill’s Cabinet, as is expected, it. wiL. put General Marshall at the head of the whole global field command with authority to co-ordinate aggressive action on all fronts under the Quebec directives. It will recognize also that in the successive inter-AUied military conferences, from Washington to Casablanca and Quebec, the American Chief of Staff was, the outstanding contributor to the fashioning or 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 otheials with whom he has been in contact, including Mr. Churchill. “For Toughest Job.”

“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 iu South-eastern Asia, might stir a debate in Britain, but it is understood 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 he 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 ever-increasing 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 France and the Low Countries. A highly-placed Government official stated 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 far-reaching 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.”

ABOUT TO BEGIN FuH Assault In Asia And Europe NEW YORK, September 21. “Great offensives in which our full strength will be hurled against the enemy in Asia and Europe are just about to begin,” declared General Marshall, addressing the American Legion Convention at Omaha! “Now at last,” he eaid, “we are ready to carry the war Jo the enemy with power and force. , We hope it will bring an early conclusion to the war.” General Marshall said that the preparations which had been made in North Africa and Sicily were about to be made in Italy for support of huge ground and air forces, and for a long time similar preparations had been under way in Britain and in the Pacific. “It will discourage the Japanese, he said, “to learn that our most difficult problem is to find sufficient bases from which to operate the vast forces to be poured'into the Pacific for rearrangement of the Son of Heaven’s affairs with his military clique. But these matters are not the result of a propaganda campaign, of temporary enthusiasm, or of special interests. “We must proceed in the most businesslike manner possible, and make this war so terrible to the enemy and so overwhelming iu character that never again can a small group of dictators find sufficient following to destroy the peaceful security of the civilized world.’