Mountbatten goes to the USA to take command of HMS Illustrious at the time of the Atlantic Charter, but his command is cut short by his appointment as Adviser on Combined Operations (taking over from Admiral Keyes), and he is thus involved in (among others) the commando raids on Vaagso and St Nazaire. He then become Chief of Combined Ops, is made an acting Vice Admiral, an Honorary Lieutenant General and an Honorary Air Marshal. With the entry into the war of the USA, pressing for an early offensive, and the creation of the combined Chiefs of Staff, Mountbatten befriends Marshall and helps to ease the strained relations between the Allies. The Dieppe raid teaches Mountbatten and his colleagues valuable lessons and prepares the way to the North African landing of November 1942 (Operation Torch). Mountbatten attends the Casablanca conference, and then at the Quebec conference he is appointed Supreme Allied Commander, SE Asia.
