The New Normal - Party at Villa Mirador (hobnobbing with Churchill & FDR), Casablanca

Villa Mirador

GWA's faculty and spouses were invited to a party last Friday. Also in attendance were personnel from a few other Casablanca American schools.  It was held at the Consulate General's residence called Villa Mirador, which was built in 1935.  Richard and I were excited to experience a home with such interesting historical significance to both Morocco and the United States.

Morocco has long been a friend of the U.S.  In 1777, it opened it's ports to the U.S. and therefore was the first country to recognize the "new United States".  The two countries relations were formalized with the "Moroccan/American Treaty of Friendship" in 1786.

The Casablanca War Conference was held at Villa Mirador from January 14-23, 1943.  The meetings were between F.D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, with Joseph Stalin being left out (he wasn't happy about this.)  What was decided in Casablanca effected the War in Eastern Europe.  Here they laid plans for campaigns to be undertaken in 1943 against France, Italy and Germany.  As it says on the plaque below, they decided, "the war would be carried on until the unconditional surrender of the axis powers."

Plaque in the Map/War room

The Map/War Room 

Flags in the map/war room

Photos of significance to the War Conference

Churchill

Churchill and FDR

Villa Mirador is a beautiful place, inside and out.  Here are some pictures of the parts of the interior in which we were allowed.

The grounds were also beautiful.

Richard kind of has that "stately" look like Winston, but alas, no stogie.

Richard at dusk

He does have one thing in common with the great Churchill, however! . . .

Overseas Buildings, Villa Mirador
http://overseasbuildings.state.gov/sites/admin-overseasbuildings.state.gov/files/pdfs/casablanca.pdf