White House news release.
In order to forestall an invasion of Africa by Germany and Italy, which
if successful, would constitute a direct threat to America across the
comparatively narrow sea from Western Africa, a powerful American force
equipped with adequate weapons of modern warfare and under American
Command is today landing on the Mediterranean and Atlantic Coasts of
the French Colonies in Africa.
The landing of this American Army is being assisted by the British
Navy and air forces and it will, in the immediate future, be reinforced
by a considerable number of divisions of the British Army.
This combined allied force, under American Command,
in conjunction with the British campaign in Egypt is designed to prevent an occupation by the Axis armies of any part
of Northern or Western Africa, and to deny to the aggressor nations
a starting point from which to launch an attack against the Atlantic
Coast of the Americas.
In addition, it provides an effective second front assistance to our
heroic allies in Russia.
The French Government and the French people have been
informed of the purpose of this expedition, and have been assured that
the allies seek no territory and have no intention of interfering with
friendly French Authorities in Africa.
The Government of France and the people of France and the French Possessions
have been requested to cooperate with and assist the American expedition
in its effort to repel the German and Italian international criminals,
and by so doing to liberate France and the French Empire from the Axis
yoke.
This expedition will develop into a major effort by
the Allied Nations and there is every expectation that it will be successful
in repelling the planned German and Italian invasion of Africa and prove
the first historic step to the liberation and restoration of France.