Germans’ Growing Infiltration Alarms Vichy

Northern Advocate, 18 November 1941, Page 3

Germans’ Growing Infiltration Alarms Vichy

LONDON. November 17. The members of the Vichy Government, including Petain and Darlan, are considerably alarmed at the German infiltration in North Africa, says the diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” An important German mission, headed by the son of the former “Protector” of Bohemia and Moravia (von Neurath) has just arrived in North Africa on a visit of inspection. French officers and the rank and file are becoming restive as a consequence of the continued infiltration, ’ because they realise that the FrancoGerman armistice is nothing but a trick. General Huntziger was sent to North Africa to investigate the situation, says the correspondent, and, after confirming Vichy’s worst fears, was returning when his plane crashed last week and he was killed. German experts are now flowing into Tunis, Algeria and Morocco. Mostly they are described as economists and teachers, but really they

are reinforcements for the German Africa Corps, which is fastening its grip on French North Africa. The Governor of the French North African colonies' (General Weygand) has returned to Vichy on instructions from Marshal Petain. Conferences were held in Vichy yesterday between Marshal Petain and the German Ambassador in Paris (Abetz). Franco-German relations were discussed, and also the question of a successor to Huntziger as Minister for War. The Germans are reported to favour the appointment of Weygand.