740.00112 European War 1939/2281: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State

268. Marshal received me last evening in the presence of Foreign Minister Admiral Darlan. At the suggestion of the Marshal, I was accompanied by Mr. Murphy. I informed the Marshal of the forthcoming departure of an additional American Red Cross ship with a cargo of medical supplies and foodstuffs destined for French children.47 I also referred to the Department’s telegrams regarding the loading at Bay town, Texas, of the French tanker Frimaire with not exceeding 15,000 tons of motor gasoline destined for Casablanca.

Marshal Pétain expressed his satisfaction over the interest which the American Government is taking in the welfare of the French people and its growing understanding of French problems. He said that he is confident that as that understanding grows he will be able to count on American economic cooperation, but that he hopes that we will very soon extend our sympathetic cooperation now limited to French children to adults as well. The Marshal talked with feeling of the urgent situation now prevailing in the unoccupied zone regarding the critical shortage of wheat and corn and the adverse political potentialities inherent in such a situation.

I then referred to the interest we are taking in the question of the supply to French North Africa with certain essential commodities for the purpose of avoiding a collapse of the economic structure in that area. I said that the first shipment of gasoline to Casablanca is an earnest of that intention. (Admiral Darlan wondered whether the British would let it pass.) I pointed out, however, my concern on the score of rumored pending deliveries of petroleum products to Italy from Algeria and Tunisia. I told the Marshal that we have learned of an agreement entered into by the French Government on February 2 without reference to General Weygand for the delivery to Italy from Algerian stocks of 5,000 tons of motor gasoline. I said we also have a rumor to the effect that the French Navy Department had agreed or was on the point of agreeing to the release to Italy of 5,000 tons of fuel oil from French naval stocks in Tunisia.

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Marshal Pétain said that he had never heard of any such transactions and asked Admiral Darlan what he knew about them. Darlan, obviously uncomfortable, replied that it is true that France had been required, he thought in January, under the terms of the armistice convention to deliver 20,000 tons of motor gasoline to Italy; that he did not recall that the Italians had specified that 5,000 tons were for delivery from Algeria but that they were to be taken from French stocks anywhere. Darlan said that in any event no gasoline will now be taken from Algerian stocks although that had been considered on the ground that the situation regarding gasoline was even more acute in unoccupied France than in North Africa and General Weygand had objected.

I emphasized at this point that if deliveries of gasoline from French Africa were made either to Germany or Italy obviously my Government would be in no position to ship gasoline there as such action would be in direct conflict with our general policy. Admiral Darlan said that he could assure us that the transaction under reference was a delivery exacted by the Armistice Commission because of an obligation assumed some time ago and that we can be sure that no petroleum products will be delivered from French Africa to Germany or Italy.

Regarding the rumor that 5,000 tons of fuel oil were about to be delivered to Italy from naval stores in Tunisia, Darlan said that the Italians frequently had requested such deliveries but that they had been refused consistently. Darlan said that it is necessary from time to time to deliver to the French Fleet for its own use part of fuel oil stocks in Tunisia and that such deliveries might be distorted into tales of delivery to the Italians. No such deliveries had or would be made as long as he had anything to do with it. Darlan also said that Germany has agreed to the delivery to France of 30,000 tons of Rumanian motor gasoline. He added dryly that the agreement was all right but no delivery date is specified. “When we shall receive the gasoline is quite another matter”, he said.

Marshal Pétain said France has made desperate efforts to rehabilitate its transport system. The lack of gasoline is a prime obstacle and in addition the enormous quantity of railway equipment seized by Germany has had a paralyzing effect.

Your telegram No. 161, February 21, 1 p.m. I then said to the Marshal that there is much concern in Washington regarding the arrival at Casablanca of uniformed and armed German officers and soldiers and that we would be grateful for his view of that situation in French Morocco. The Marshal said that the German officers and men in question are simply delegates of the Armistice Commission which the Germans had insisted on sending on the ground that the Italian armistice [Page 233] delegates in French Morocco were not functioning efficiently. The Marshal asked Admiral Darlan to give me what information he had. The Admiral said that as Casablanca is a port to which under the clauses of the Armistice Convention the Germans are entitled to send Armistice Commission delegates there is no ground on which France could support a refusal of the German request. However, he is urging a reduction in the number of German personnel now there (he confirmed that there are 52) and the substitution of civilians for the military. Admiral Darlan said that he had no information to the effect that the Germans are planning to increase the number; that in every case the German authorities have informed France in advance of the assignment of Armistice Commission personnel and there has been no indication of a contemplated increase. Darlan is reasonably sure, he said, that the number will be reduced rather than increased.

Both Marshal Pétain and Admiral Darlan scoffed at stories to the effect that the Germans are planning an invasion of French North Africa. They said that such an action is contrary to Germany’s interests at present. The Marshal said he is certain that the Germans would only attempt an invasion of French Africa if they failed in an effort to invade the British Isles. He said with a smile, “So you must make up your minds whether you prefer the failure of an attempted invasion of England followed by an unsuccessful invasion of French Africa, or an attempted invasion of French Africa followed by an unsuccessful invasion of England”.

In any event both the Marshal and Darlan insisted that France is prepared to resist an attempt at invasion of French Africa no matter who the invader.

We referred to rumors current to the effect that the German delegates in French Morocco are alleged to be indulging in subversive propaganda among the natives, spending a good deal of money, et cetera. Darlan said acidly that he believes that other nationalities in addition to the Germans are spending money in Morocco saying that he would not be surprised if the Spaniards were doing so as well as the Italians and the British. The Marshal jokingly said he wondered what the Spaniards were using for money. (Previously in the conversation he had referred to the improved relations between France and Spain; how he as French Ambassador to Madrid had been instrumental in extending aid to Spain and adding that though relations between the countries had improved enormously Spain’s economic situation remained shocking.) Darlan said that he thought whatever money the Spaniards are spending in Morocco is being spent for the account of somebody else.

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I also inquired regarding a current rumor to the effect that General Weygand is being recalled, pointing out that such action might have a disconcerting effect in Washington where confidence in Weygand is an important factor in our plan of possible economic cooperation with French Africa. Marshal Pétain denied that Weygand is being recalled. He said General Weygand will be in Vichy Friday next for consultation and that he hoped to have me for lunch with the General on that day. The Marshal said that Weygand would thereafter return to Algiers to resume his duties as Delegate General to French Africa.

Leahy
  1. For correspondence on this subject, see pp. 89 ff.