Shakespeare, William. Securing French support for operations in North Africa - photo 1
Shakespeare, William. Securing French support for operations in North Africa - photo 1

Securing French support for operations in North Africa

Lot 204
15.10.2021 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
$ 100
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 627695
Lot 204 | Securing French support for operations in North Africa
Estimate value
$ 4 000 – 6 000
EISENHOWER, Dwight D. (1890-1969). Typed letter signed (“Dwight D. Eisenhower”) as Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces to General Henri Giraud, Allied Force Headquarters, 10 May 1943.
 
One page, 266 x 203mm (toning from pin hole at upper left corner).
 
Securing North Africa for the Allies with French support. Eisenhower offers his endorsement of appointments made by Henri Giraud, the French General who was critical in supporting the Allied landings in North Africa—most importantly that of General Charles Mast, leader of pro-Allied Vichy forces in North Africa, as Resident General in Tunisia. Eisenhower expresses his delight at the appointment and is assured that "he will prove equal to the task of reorganization and reconstruction that lies ahead," and offering the "full support of Allied authorities," to his efforts. Henri Giraud had been captured in the Ardennes in 1940 and after two years of imprisonment, managed to escape his German captors, first crossing into Switzerland and then on to Vichy France where he fruitlessly attempted to convince Pétan to abandon its German ally. When news of his escape spread through France, the Gestapo arrested seventeen members of his extended family and had orders to assassinate Giraud. At about the same time, the Allies secretly contacted Giraud, giving him the code name "Kingpin." Giraud agreed to help support the planned Allied landings in North Africa on condition that only American forces be used—many French officers were still angry at Great Britain for the attack at Mers-el-Kébir where they destroyed several French warships lest the fall into the hands of the Axis. Giraud would be appointed commander of French forces in North Africa and soon afterwards French High Commissioner of French North Africa and West Africa and in that capacity attended the Casablanca Conference with F.D.R. and Churchill in January 1943.
 
[With:] Two typed letters signed from Eisenhower, but signed on his behalf by a secretary, both also directed to Giraud, 27 April and 5 May 1943, thanking the French general for his letter of support sent to F.D.R. as well as his thanks for Giraud's congratulatory letter "on the capture of Mateur, which, although taken by Americans, was made possibly by effective pressure against the Hun by the French and the British."
Artist:William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Applied technique:Pencil
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
01.10.2021 – 15.10.2021
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

Antiquities of Mexico
Antiquities of Mexico
$16 000
Verbiest's world map
Verbiest's world map
$12 000
A previously unknown invoice for furnishings
A previously unknown invoice for furnishings
$2 800
Iliad, in Latin
Iliad, in Latin
$1 500
New York City commissions a painting of Washington
New York City commissions a painting of Washington
$100
The East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
The East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
$1 000
Inscriptiones sacrosanctae vetustatis
Inscriptiones sacrosanctae vetustatis
$1 200
Huguan County, Lu’an Prefecture, Shanxi Province
Huguan County, Lu’an Prefecture, Shanxi Province
$1 600

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>