The Allies believed that the Vichy French forces would not fight, partly because of information supplied by the American Consul Robert Daniel Murphy in Algiers. In addition, there were 10 or so warships and 11 submarines at Casablanca. These forces included 60,000 troops in Morocco, 15,000 in Tunisia, and 50,000 in Algeria, with coastal artillery, and a small number of tanks and aircraft. The Vichy French had around 125,000 soldiers in the territories as well as coastal artillery, 210 operational but out-of-date tanks and about 500 aircraft, half of which were Dewoitine D.520 fighters-equal to many British and U.S. With British forces advancing from Egypt, this would eventually allow the Allies to carry out a pincer operation against Axis forces in North Africa. The Allies planned an Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa/ Maghreb- Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, territory nominally in the hands of the Vichy French government. 1.6 Preliminary contact with Vichy French.It was the first mass involvement of US troops in the European–North African Theatre, and saw the first major airborne assault carried out by the United States. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to engage in the fight against Nazi Germany on a limited scale.
Darlan was assassinated soon after and the Free French gradually came to dominate the government. The success of Torch caused Admiral François Darlan, commander of the Vichy French forces to order co-operation with the Allies, in return for being installed as High Commissioner, with many other Vichy officials keeping their jobs. The French Resistance had unsuccessfully attempted a coup in Algiers and, even though this raised alertness in the Vichy forces, the Eastern Task Force met less opposition and were able to push inland and compel surrender on the first day. The Center Task Force suffered some damage to its ships when trying to land in shallow water but the French ships were sunk or driven off Oran surrendered after bombardment by British battleships. The Western Task Force encountered unexpected resistance and bad weather, but Casablanca, the principal French Atlantic naval base, was captured after a short siege. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied forces in Mediterranean Theater of Operations, planned a three-pronged attack on Casablanca (Western), Oran (Center) and Algiers (Eastern), then a rapid move on Tunis to catch Axis forces in North Africa from the west in conjunction with Allied advance from east. Reports indicated that they might support the Allies. While the French colonies formally aligned with Germany via Vichy France, the loyalties of the population were mixed. Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – 16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War.
Germany: 8 submarines lost by 17 November Many shore batteries and artillery piecesġ escort carrier ( HMS Avenger) sunk with loss of 516 men
Anglo-American occupation of Morocco and Algeria.