Two Sleepless Months and 7,813 Trucks: Inside King Hassan II’s Secret Masterplan for the Green March

FEZ / RABAT (FesNews Media) — In the closing chapter of his historic October 16, 1975 address, the late HM King Hassan II shared a rare personal confession with the Moroccan nation, revealing both the deep affection he held for his people and the two sleepless months of strict secrecy during which he personally oversaw the logistical blueprint of the Green March.

Addressing Moroccans with extraordinary warmth, the Sovereign declared: “I place you in my heart after Almighty God and the love of His Prophet; I place you within my soul even before my own children,” while also warning early on that Africa risked becoming the primary victim of separatist fragmentation, and stressing that the Sahara issue belonged to the entire Moroccan nation rather than any single party or faction.

Logistical Genius: 10 Daily Trains, 7,813 Trucks, 63,000 Tons of Water, and 470 Doctors

Unveiling the scale of Morocco’s preparation, HM King Hassan II detailed the exact figures needed to transport, feed, hydrate, and provide medical care for 350,000 volunteers across the desert over two weeks: 10 trains daily for 12 days connecting northern and eastern Morocco to Marrakech, followed by a fleet of 7,813 trucks moving volunteers through Agadir to Tarfaya.

The operation mobilized 10,000 administrative cadres, 17,000 tons of food, 63,000 tons of drinking water, 2,590 tons of fuel, 470 physicians and paramedics, and 220 ambulances—down to matches and candles for every tent—prompting the King’s famous remark: “Such an operation can only be carried out by a state deeply rooted in glory and order.”

A Solemn Warning to Future Generations and Two Months of Secret Preparation

In the climax of the address, King Hassan II delivered a solemn warning to Moroccans on the existential importance of recovering their southern provinces: “Beware, beware! If you do not recover your Sahara today, I do not give you five years before your shadow shrinks, your voice weakens, and your weight diminishes!”

He then confided: “For two months I have been preparing this, carrying this burden on my nerves—believing ten times in the morning and doubting twenty times at night—before concluding that it is my duty and your duty to march peacefully to our Sahara and enter our home.”

Fifty-One Years On: A Prophecy of Strength Fulfilled

Half a century after that fateful night, history has vindicated HM King Hassan II’s strategic vision: by reuniting with its southern provinces in November 1975, Morocco consolidated its stature as a pillar of regional stability and continental leadership.

Today, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan Sahara stands as a thriving hub of Atlantic and African connectivity, honoring the epic sacrifice of the 350,000 volunteers of the Glorious Green March.

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