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{
    "localId": "486500863",
    "label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, French North Africa, Situation Report 36",
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    "id": "486500863",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, French North Africa, Situation Report 36",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500863",
    "collections": [
        "President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
        "Intelligence Files"
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    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 28,
            "logicalDate": "1950-11-28",
            "month": 11,
            "year": 1950
        }
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    "recordType": "description",
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{
    "seq": 64,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875513/875513-02-064.tif",
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    "ocrText": "SECRET\n59\nAside from division of administrative con-\nbe made up of US Army Signal Corps types\ntrol, the telecommunication systems in\nof World War II vintage.\nFrench Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia could\na. French Morocco.\noperate as one system. Equipment and prac-\nThe Moroccan Government owns and oper-\ntices are mainly French.\nates the country's domestic telecommunica-\nThe underground cable across French North\ntions facilities, through the PTT. The equip-\nAfrica originates in Casablanca, French\nment, operating techniques, and the essential\nMorocco, and extends via Oran, Algeria, to its\ntraining of native technicians are basically\nterminal point in Tunis. Its total length is\nFrench, although the introduction of Ameri-\nabout 1,428 miles. The decision to extend a\ncan equipment and operating methods during\ncable net across this area was made by the\nWorld War II has had considerable influence\nVichy Government in 1941. In 1943 actual\non the country. Morocco can produce only a\nconstruction began at various points, utilizing\nnegligible percentage of the equipment it\nsections which had been laid between certain\nneeds for telecommunications, and thus must\nlarge urban centers prior to 1941. Adminis-\ncontinue to rely almost entirely on France or\ntration of the system is handled by a Board\nthe US to meet its needs. The country has\nof Directors composed of representatives from\na domestic wire net that provides fair to good\nthe three Post Telegraph and Telephones\nservice. The PTT has its headquarters in\n(PTT) concerned. When this cable goes into\nRabat.\noperation, probably at the end of 1950, existing\nThe telephone system provides the widest\nfacilities will be almost doubled and service\ncoverage, and is thus the most important\nwill be comparable to any modern Western\nmeans of communication. Morocco has 45,-\ncable system.\n153 telephone subscribers; principal ex-\nInternational and domestic cable service to\nchanges are located in Rabat-Salé, Casa-\nFrance is adequate for present requirements;\nblanca, Marrakech, Fez and Meknes. The\noperations are excellent and efficient despite\nMoroccan Government depends heavily on this\nold equipment. The system is well integrated\nnetwork and, to a lesser degree, on the tele-\nwith the landline network of North Africa, and\ngraph system for administration of the coun-\nthe facilities could probably accommodate a\ntry, whereas the Army depends largely on\nlimited additional load with present equip-\nradio. Telegraph lines connect most of the\nment.\npopulation centers, and in many places, tele-\nRadio plays three primary roles in this area\ngraph and telephone wires are carried on the\ntoday: i.e., international communication,\nsame poles. An extensive telegraph net ex-\nbroadcasting, and military. Of these three\nists for the operation of the railway system.\nroles, international communication has pro-\nThe telegraph circuits follow along the rail-\ngressed rapidly since the end of World War II.\nway and are operated on a closed circuit sys-\nFrench stations at Rabat and Algiers handle\ntem.\nincreasing traffic loads, but their facilities\nThe French Army operates an extensive net-\nhave not changed materially since the war\nwork of radio stations, which provide the only\nyears.\nmeans of communication in the sparsely popu-\nRadio broadcasting has also made great\nlated regions of southern and southeastern\nstrides during the five years but is the subject\nMorocco. Although they are used primarily\nof more official enthusiasm than actual effec-\nfor military purposes, the stations also handle\ntiveness. Radio receiver density is very low,\nofficial and even public traffic.\nso that only about 10-15 percent of the popu-\nb. Algeria.\nlation can be considered to be reached by this\nThe PTT system in Algeria is owned and\nmedium.\noperated by the government. The wire net is\nFrench military forces have widely scattered\nvery extensive and provides service for most of\nradio installations and operate numerous net-\nthe towns and villages in the country. Tele-\nworks linking France with its overseas col-\nphone service is more widely used than tele-\nonies. Most of their equipment is believed to\ngraph and is the most dependable means of\nSECRET"
}