'In the first place, thefailure of the Western Allies to launch the attack in the West demanded by Stalin, made it more vital than ever that the Russians should have no reason tofear that they might be l~ft in the lurch by the conclusion of a compromisepeace between Germany and the West. In the secondplace, the Darlan affair and the uproar which it had caused ... was fresh in the minds both ~f the Prime Minister and the Presulent+ It seemed desirable that the events in North Africa would not set the pattern for future relations between the Allies and the Axis: that neither Goering nor Rimmler, nor any of the other devils in the Allied eschatology would be regardedas suitable partners to an agreement simply because they could ensure the allegiance of the bureaucratic machine which governed Germany.'2