The Casablanca Conference (SYMBOL) was held at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco, France, from 14 to 24 January 1943, to chart the European strategy of the allies in the next phase of World War II. The conference was held in the presence of US President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and the Free French Forces, Generals Charles DeGaulle and Henri Giro. Soviet Prime Minister Joseph Stalin apologized for the attendance, saying that the fighting in Stalingrad required his presence in the Soviet Union. The agenda of the conference focused on the details of tactical operations, the distribution of possibilities and broader issues of diplomatic policy. The debate and negotiations resulted in the "Casablanca Declaration", reaching a formulation, an interesting historical argument, for the purpose of fighting, "unconditional surrender." The principle of "unconditional surrender" has become the unified voice of the will of the Allies that does not bend - the determination to fight the Axis powers until they are completely defeated and exterminated.