Operation Torch: General Papers Relating to the Wartime Plan to Capture French North Africa; Intelligence and Situation Reports

A file of papers relating to security and cover plans to safeguard the secrecy of Operation “Torch”, the Allied invasion of French North Africa in November 1942. This operation was feared compromised when an aircraft transporting an agent crashed off the coast of Spain and the agent’s documents, which contained details of “Torch”, were washed ashore. The file contains reports, memoranda, and communications detailing this incident as well as other security and intelligence issues, including liaison procedures between British and United States planners; reports on the Axis powers’ suspected knowledge of Operation “Torch” and on Axis deployments in North Africa; the success of a decoy plan to focus German attention on Malta, away from the Allied forces build-up at Gibraltar; the creation of code-names for invasion targets; Britain’s relationship with Spain; and assessments of the likelihood of Spain leaking information to Germany.