Kenneth W. Pendar (December22, 1906December5, 1972) was a

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

who served as Vice-Consul in

Marrakech Marrakesh or Marrakech (; , ) is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi Regions of Morocco, region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mounta ...

and

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

in 1942 and 1943. He published his memoirs, where he recounts his wartime experiences and activities, in two books, ''Adventure in Diplomacy: Our French Dilemma'' and ''Adventure in Diplomacy (World War II)''. He graduated from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

in 1930. 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. Pendar served as a second to American diplomat Robert Murphy in Algiers during

Operation Torch Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa whil ...

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 Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan (; 7 August 1881 – 24 December 1942) was a French admiral and political figure. Born in Nérac, Darlan graduated from the ''École navale'' in 1902 and quickly advanced through the ranks following his servic ...

, the commander of all

Vichy French Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against G ...

military forces at the time. The acceptance of the continued authority of the Vichy regime under Marshal

Philippe Pétain Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (; 24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Marshal Pétain (, ), was a French marshal who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the Collaboration with Nazi Ger ...

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 Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

, 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. pp. 103-120

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