OSS - THE CAPE OF VERDE ISLANDS IN ALLIED STRATEGY/REPORT ON JOB INTERVIEW, 1941

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: OSS Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: November 3, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 23, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 14, 1941
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23: CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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IU LAU YKRDEISLAD IN ALLIED
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COORDINAIOR Or ItC1i. t
The Cape Verde Islands, lying only 480 miles,
due west of Dakar, command sea-lanes and air-routes vital
to inter-allied supply. Their relation to West Africa and
South America is analogous to that of the Azores td Europe
and North America.
Shipping routes around the Cape of Good Hope to
Brittiin, shipping routes from South AmericaltoiBritaigi
bir routes from Britain to South Africa, air routes from
both Britmin and the United States across Africa-- all these
paa4:i close to tIle Cape Verdes, within striking distance of
tbk formidbble Vichy outpost at Dakar.
Enemy submbrines would find in the Islands an
14ed be for tattocks on Allied shipping. Enemy bombers
t-0$ wcal could wreak havoc from the excellent fields alrea4
iltble. Three of the Islands nearest Africa (Sal, Sao
flUG Ettie) possess first-class airfields, unGil
rtIctILL4 ubec by Lati tnt. Air Fr4nce. Two of these fields
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23: CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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In the event of hostile occupation, ourit-;i1-
air route from Brazil across Africa, by which we supply
the British and the Russians, would be directly exposed
to attack. In like manner, the British Alternate Air Route,
by way of Bathurst to Khartum and the Far East, would be
imperiled.
Occupation of the Islands would be a relatively
easy matter. Portugues d reinforcements and armaments
11ve been only recently sent and are probably not formidable.
No reid resistance is to be expected from the population,
whict4 is1..A present racked by famine.
But the Islands would be easier to take than to
hold. Delt:r has been heavily fortified and manned, and
tbk Prenc., heve but recently constructed a number of
LirfWc, in 4et Africti. Axts forces, if in control of
? woulc be much nearer the Cape Verdes than would
kmerictm or Briti6h forces. They could, therefore, launch
tNy ttlititic.s by both eir mA $ee.
Bence ally action by Americans or British must be
uraae _13 full oroe brio uhould be pert of a larger opera-.
ton t,:gt5LA 1R-4,far
To hola the lslanas tlgainst hostile
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23 : CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23: CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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forces on the African Coast would be hopeless. The
occupation must be viewed in connection with the whole
West African problem. On the solution of this problem
depends the outcome of the Battle of the Atlantic and
the maintenance of our supply-lines to the Near East,
Soviet Russian and even the Far East.
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23: CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23 : CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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Colonel Donovan
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Turner I. ficliaine
Novenber 14, 1941
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Attchecl hereto is the final report of our interview with
icbnlskl.
The following is our a, prnia1 of his qualities as an in-
former:
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Kr. ieh1s1U is a high-grade, intelligent
educated man, whose 17inion of general con-
tins and trends may be? giVen some weight,
but -1,10 Is not a close observer or acmrate
reporter of detn11. For a man -ho Irld spent
14 month in DlIclr h. eouL! give !urprisingly
rev ri- "'gots althouh I bclivve- that
lack or 1 ft-elass interpreter rartly
to 131,tf. ratho.:;,:h b :int inod seemingly
ot)SoctYe 'kttituce, ve,ry n rvous, and
tLv. tmr.-eni:7'n I got from his wholo story vas
k?.ic tnine: mueli lf the !Irittsh,
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h!xli num, rou..5 ovlstions which nilitnry
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23: CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5
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Colonel Donovan
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November 14, 1941
"liehzieKi hns an 18 year old son vho was with him the
ont ri) tUo in Da4ar, vent to high school tivre and had
many frieniAs amotv, the French boys, Mr. Zoltowski belivves
that he 'coul%,; givo many details his father could not. Do
you thin:4 it Izoald be worth while to bring him down to
*rItaliagtan for an 4nt(rvieu?
bcqicve ?:11.12c bo extremely helrful to have a question
nn4 answor sA.).rthuak; rerortor avikileible for future impor-
taut intcrvip,s hvro. 'o;;Id you U.k re ts) Arrange for this?
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/23: CIA-RDP13X00001R000100170001-5