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740.0011 European war 1939/2691-5/7A

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador Near the French Government At Bordeaux (Biddle)54

WASHINGTON, June 17, 1940--5 p.m.

3. The President desires that you obtain immediately an interview with Admiral Darlan and subsequently, if possible, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and state that the views of this Government with regard to the disposition of the French fleet have been made very clear to the French Government on previous occasions. The President desires you to say that in the opinion of this Government, should the French Government, before concluding any armistice with the Germans, fail to see that the fleet is kept out of the hands of her opponents, the French Government will be pursuing a policy which will fatally impair the preservation of the French Empire and the eventual restoration of French independence and autonomy. Furthermore,

--553--

should the French Government fail to take these steps and permit the French fleet to be surrendered to Germany, the French Government will permanently lose the friendship and good-will of the Government of the United States.

HULL

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Footnotes

54. Transmitted in a telegram to the Consul at Bordeaux.


Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation