856B.01/44

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State

The British Ambassador called at his own request. I said to him that it was reported that the French guards had left the island of Aruba. The Ambassador had first remarked that the British would need to send guards there even though French troops were there and a clash might be possible. After advising him that the French had departed, according to our reports, I said that of course this Government cannot agree and does not agree for any British troops to be sent to Aruba. I then said that the French only had 75 to 100 guards there before they departed. He suggested that they might send Canadian guards. I said the same objection of this Government applies, although the situation would not be so acute in these circumstances. Finally, he indicated that his Government might send the same number of guards from Curaçao to Aruba that the French had there. I said of course this Government cannot agree to any British guards going there. I then said that all these questions would probably come up at the Habana conference18 and ample plans worked out for dealing with them.

C[ordell] H[ull]
  1. See vol. v , section entitled “Second Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics, held at Habana, July 21–30, 1940.”