Prof. Greg Jackson

Will they tow the Vichy line, or will they welcome the Allies as their brothers in arms, finally liberating them so they can fight to regain their homeland, like Charles de Gaulle's Free French?

Hard to say, but given the painful memories of the Royal Navy's most recent and deadly visit with the French Navy, and the value in showing that the Americans are truly committed to the war at this point, perhaps it's best that the Yanks, not the Brits, be the first ones to knock on France's North African door.

Yeah, good call.

Meanwhile, a pamphlet distributed to the American troops about to participate in Operation Torch reflects allied hopes of a warm reception.

To quote it in part, it is the wish of the president that the first blow in this assault should be primarily American.

We have come from afar to hit the common enemy, and we are determined to do our fullest share to liberate the victims of oppression.

You'll be landing on the shores of a country whose people are our traditional friends.

We are not after the conquest of territory, but are out to destroy our enemy.

Millions of Frenchmen are going to see the point, no matter what their Nazi-fied government tries to tell them."

With these optimistic words ringing in their ears, the American troops board their 350 warships and 500 transports, then sail for North Africa.

They sail with a full ability to read Vichy French naval codes, thanks in part to Elizabeth or Betty Pack slash Thorpe.

Now a spy for British intelligence codenamed Cynthia, the stunning and charming woman seduced the French press attache at the Washington DC embassy at some point earlier in this same year and convinced him to help her steal his government's code books so they could be copied.

And so, cutting through the Atlantic, fully capable of understanding the French Navy's messages, the Americans begin their Operation Torch landing on the French North African coast in the early morning hours of November 8, 1942.

But how will the Yanks actually be received?

Well, let's join the Western Task Force at Casablanca and find out.

It's around 2.30 in the morning, November 9th, 1942.

Second Lieutenant Edward W. Wellman of the 204th Military Police Company is aboard the second of four landing craft bound for Beach Yellow, or Fidala, just to the north of Casablanca on the coast of French Morocco.

The 113 men on these four boats have been tasked with bringing order out of the chaos on the beaches.

The salty spray gets in the men's eyes as they motor toward the appointed beacon, an oil tank fire on the shore.

But between the challenges of spindrift and the dart, the transports are actually about 15 miles off course.