Destination Casablanca

Exile, Espionage, and the Battle for North Africa in World War II

By: Meredith Hindley

Narrated by: Matthew Waterson

This rollicking and panoramic history of Casablanca during the Second World War sheds light on the city as a key hub for European and American powers, and a place where spies, soldiers, and political agents exchanged secrets and vied for control. In November 1942, as a part of Operation Torch, 33,000 American soldiers sailed undetected across the Atlantic and stormed the beaches of French Morocco. Seventy-four hours later, the Americans controlled the country and one of the most valuable wartime ports: Casablanca.

In the years preceding, Casablanca had evolved from an exotic travel destination to a key military target after France's surrender to Germany. Jewish refugees from Europe poured in, hoping to obtain visas and passage to the United States and beyond. Nazi agents and collaborators infiltrated the city in search of power and loyalty. The resistance was not far behind, as shopkeepers, celebrities, former French Foreign Legionnaires, and disgruntled bureaucrats formed a network of Allied spies. But once in American hands, Casablanca became a crucial logistical hub in the fight against Germany - and the site of Roosevelt and Churchill's demand for "unconditional surrender."

Rife with rogue soldiers, power grabs, and diplomatic intrigue, Destination Casablanca is the riveting and untold story of this glamorous city - memorialized in the classic film that was rush-released in 1942 to capitalize on the drama that was unfolding in North Africa at the heart of World War II.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 Meredith Hindley (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Here is an important, well-researched, and well-written account of a major aspect of World War II that is generally neglected in the existing literature. The listener is offered a convincing picture of the complicated interactions of the Americans and British with the supporters of Vichy and of the Free French, the local Muslim and Jewish leaders and population, and the agents of Germany. This listener does not know of any other successful unravelling of this theater's complexities." (Gerhard L. Weinber, professor emeritus, University of North Carolina)

"Compulsively readable, deeply engrossing new history... The charmed classic made in Hollywood's dream factories and the granular history recounted in Hindley's superb book fundamentally complement each other, entertaining and instructing us with their timeless tales of political intrigue, moral compromise, acts of courage and cowardice." (New Republic)

"As entertaining as it is informative." (Galveston County Daily News)

Excellent!

Extremely well written. So detailed that you can see the scenes in your mind. I loved it! Great job Hindley.

Great history

I really enjoyed this book. It’s long but it discusses so many people and stories that I never knew.

A highlight on WWII in North Africa

An excellent narration of a well-researched account on events in Morrocco during WWII. In my opinion it highlights an occurrences of a part of WWII I was not that aware of and also mislead by Hollywood in this regard.

Highly detailed book on not well-known aspect of WW2

This book focuses on the role Casablanca and the many people that lived in or traveled/wandered/warred through that city in World War 2. It provided me with many unknown facets, especially related to the French government in Morocco, the role of the resistance, treatment of immigrants and Jews, the influence of Vichy, and the heavy fights that the French army put up against the Americans when these landed in 1942. Especially the latter was new to me, but in 1942 the French and the Allied Forces were certainly clashing hard, primarily because many French still felt obliged to follow the Vichy government.
The main line of the book is clear, sometimes I would have liked it to focus more on the broader war aspects, but -true to its title- it focuses often on local aspects and individuals, occasionally with details that l found slightly less exciting. This is why I rank ik 4 out of 5 stars. I do recommend it to anyone really interested in WW2 in North Africa, but especially if you have already read an overview book on this, e.g. the excellent An Army at Dawn by Atkinson.
Finally, the reading was very pleasant a clear 5*. Overall I give it a 4.5* evaluation, but I can only do that in this written review.

Well Researched History Well Narrated

Excellent read and useful contribution to the history of politics and operations during WWII in North Africa. As a former defense attaché in Rabat, I found it fascinating.

Extremely Interesting

The story is exciting especially for non fiction. The intrigue that played out by all the players in North Africa during the war is right out of a spy novel or political thriller.

Enjoyable and informative

The book describes with geat details the events leading to and the aftermath of the American landing in Casablanca during WW2. There is also at the end of the book a comparison between the real Casablanca and that of the movie with the same name. I did enjoy audiobook and learnt many thing I was not aware of. This said, I have to mention two shortcomings:
(1) The Arab population of Casablanca is a missing character: Moroccan Jews are reported, although the main characters are the French living in Morocco, along with other nationalities like Germans, Americans, etc.
(2) Many French name are not read correctly: for instance Charles Noguès is pronounced Nogwé.

A city of intrigue

I greatly enjoyed this reading. The author has deftly interwoven the lives of politicians, celebrities and spies into a story of the US entry into WWII. Read this and then watch the movie “Casablanca” for a treat.

Beyond Bogart and Bacall

In the run up to the United States entry into World War II, Casa Blanca stood at a crossroads of politics, culture and ideology unmatched anywhere or at any time. This book tells the fascinating stories of the people and events that came rushing together in a critical time and at a critical junction of events. Casa Blanca, the movie, was truer than most know but not nearly as incredible as the actual facts. Any fan of the movie will get great satisfaction from this historical analysis of this place, this time and these people.

FILM FANS WILL BE FASCINATED BY THE REAL STORY

Destination Casablanca is a history, telling if you will, of the events in and around Casablanca from the Fall of France in WW II through the Independence of Morocco. In great detail, the author gives insight into Casablanca's administration by the Vichy government of France. And properly tells the story of the major players in Casablanca at the time. We learn of Vichy administrators, resistance fighters, the Sultans, the refugees, diplomats, and spies. The listener (Audible version) learns about the planning of Operation Torch, the Allied landings in Morocco, and how the American military had to deal with all parties concerned in controlling Casablanca and Morocco. This book does a good job of focusing on Casablanca in WW II, and this city of legend's ties to the film Casablanca. It does a good job of pointing out what was true and not so true in that Classic Film. My only negative is the author, because of, it seems, his fascination with certain personalities spends a little too much time on minutia. Overall I can recommend this book.