Kenneth Pendar
Kenneth W. Pendar (December 22, 1906 – December 5, 1972)[1] was a United States diplomat who served as Vice-Consul in Marrakech and Casablanca in 1942 and 1943.[2][3] He published his memoirs, where he recounts his wartime experiences and activities, in two books, Adventure in Diplomacy: Our French Dilemma[4] and Adventure in Diplomacy (World War II).[5]
Kenneth Pendar's involvement in supporting the nationalist movement in Morocco, his close ties to the Istiqlal party, and his business ventures, particularly with Coca-Cola, raised suspicions about possible connections to the CIA. His story highlights the blurred lines between civilian life and intelligence work, showcasing how former intelligence officers like Pendar engaged in economic activities while maintaining informal contacts with their former colleagues.[6]
Pendar served as a second to American diplomat Robert Murphy in Algiers during Operation Torch in November 1942. He was instrumental in helping to arrange a ceasefire between French and invading Allied forces, which produced the controversial "Darlan deal." Murphy and American commander, General Mark Clark, accepted the continuing authority of Admiral François Darlan, the commander of all Vichy French military forces at the time. The acceptance of the continued authority of the Vichy regime under Marshal Philippe Pétain in North Africa was very controversial at the time and badly received by the public in Allied countries, especially Britain. Free-French leader Charles de Gaulle, who was excluded from any role in Operation Torch, was especially upset by the "deal." Pendar acted as a liaison with the pro-Allied (but not Gaullist) underground in Algiers before and during the Allied invasion. He was unable to keep most of them out of jail after the agreement to a ceasefire.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "KENNETH PENDAR, EX‐VICE CONSUL". The New York Times. 8 December 1972. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ William J. vanden Heuvel (2002-04-04). "Franklin Delano Roosevelt: A Man of the Century". The Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. Archived from the original on 2006-10-09.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ David H. Lippman (2003-11-05). "World War II Notes: November 8, 1942 (Operation Torch)". WORLD WAR II PLUS 55. Archived from the original on September 10, 2006.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Kenneth W. Pendar (May 2003). Adventure in Diplomacy: Our French Dilemma. Simon Publications. ISBN 1-932512-00-4.
- ^ Kenneth W. Pendar (June 1976). Adventure in Diplomacy (World War II). Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-70774-8.
- ^ Stenner, David (2019). Globalizing Morocco. Stanford: Stanford University Press. pp. 17–52. ISBN 978-1503608115.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Kenneth W. Pendar (May 2003). Adventure in Diplomacy: Our French Dilemma. Simon Publications. ISBN 1-932512-00-4. pp. 103-120
Further reading
[edit]- Winks, Robin W. (1987). Cloak and Gown: Scholars in the Secret War, 1939-1961. New York: William Morrow. ISBN 0-688-07300-X.
- Leon B. Blair; Hall, Luella J. (October 1971). "Review of The United States and Morocco, 1776-1956 by Luella J. Hall". American Historical Review. 76 (4). American Historical Association: 1219–1220. doi:10.2307/1849360. JSTOR 1849360.
- Benjamin Rivlin (1982). "The United States and Moroccan International Status, 1943–1956: A Contributory Factor in Morocco's Reassertion of Independence from France". International Journal of African Historical Studies. 15 (1). Boston University African Studies Center: 64–82. doi:10.2307/218449. JSTOR 218449.
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