ONE LEADER

Grey River Argus, 23 September 1943, Page 5

ONE LEADER

FOR ALL ALLIED FORCES U.S. STAFF CHIEF Expected to be Chosen WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. General George Marshall nas been tentatively chosen to become virtual global Commander-in-Chief of all the British and American forces in the fields, on the ground, on the sea, and in the air, says the Associated Press. He will execute the victory pattern shaped at Quebec. General Marshall, addressing the American Legion Convention at Omaha, said: “The great offensives in which our full strength will be hurled against the enemy in Asia and Europe, are just about to begin. Now at last, we are ready to carry the war to the enemy, with a power and force that we hope will bring an early conclusion.” ; General Marshall said that preparations had been made in North Africa and Sicily and 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 the Pacific. “It will discourage the Japanese to learn our most difficult problem is to find sufficient bases from which to operate the vast forces to be poured into the Pacific for a rearrangement of the Sons of Heaven’s affairs with his military clique, but these matters are not the result of a propaganda campaign of temporary enthusiasms, or _ special interests. We must proceed in the most businesslike manner possible to make this war so terrible to the enemy and so overwhelming m character that never again can a small group of dictators find sufficient following to destroy the peaceful security of the civilised world. Past Allied Plans

FASHIONED BY MARSHALL NOW EXPECTED TO DIRECT EUROPEAN INVASION ■'Rec. 7.20 > WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. The Associated Press of America says: "The nomination of General Marshall, Staff Chief of the United States Army, a? Commander-in-Chief of the Allies' global forces was, perhaps, the major decision that was reached at Quebec. If it meets with linal approval, General Marshall will be at the head of the whole Allied global field command, with authority to co-ordinate aggressive action in all fronts under the Quebec directives. “It will recognise, also that, in the successive inter-Allied military conferences, from that at Washington to those at Casablanca and at Quebec, the American Chief of Staff. General Marshall, was the outstanding contributor to the fashioning of lhe Allied strategic plans for victory. “There are rumours that General Marshall is to be released from his present assignment as Chief of Staff of the United States Army, due to the pressure of interests that are opposed to him, which presumably are British interests. These rumours are in direct conflict with facts. General Marshall has won the admiration and respect of all of the British officials he has contacted, including Mr Churchill.

“The unprecedented scope of General Marshall’s contemplated ultimate command would give him presumptive authority even over Gen. Eisenhower in the Mediterranean, Gen. MacArthur in the South-west Pacific and Lord Mountbatten in South-eastern Asia. Such a . scope might stir up debate in Britain, but it is understood to be wholly acceptable to Canada and also 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 not warned by Gen. Marshall himself would be vetoed by White House. “The primary dominating element of Allied war plans still is to smash Germany first, and then to turn the full weight of ever-increasing British and American power against Japan. For that reason, General Marshall is expected to assume control of a direct attack across the English Channel on Germany in France and in the Low Countries. A high-placed Government official stated to-day that “our toughest job is to reach Berlin, and General Mar-shall-is the toughest soldier that 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 couid trust in the tremendous task of completing victory, such a course involving not only the placing of Britain’s main army, her home fleet, and home air forces under other than a British Commander tor far-reaching offensive actions across the Channel, which are contemplated, but even linking operations in the Pacific, in Asia, in India and in China with a unified central held command in due course.”