851.00/2118

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Atherton)

The French Ambassador called on me this morning to make a courtesy visit. He complained how difficult he found his task in this country but in the course of his remarks stated there were only 3500 Germans in unoccupied France. These Germans as well as other foreigners were consuming the foodstuffs of the territory within the control of the Vichy Government, but with the exception of these 3500 Germans no demands had been made for food on the Vichy Government nor had any French food been exported from unoccupied France to Germany. I told the Ambassador his statement was so incredible in view of what was commonly believed that I asked him to repeat it which he accordingly did.

Ray Atherton

[See memorandum of conversation, by the Under Secretary of State, October 7, 1940, printed on page 384, especially the section on “Blocked French funds in the United States”, beginning on page 388.]