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711.51/145
Memorandum by the Secretary of
State Regarding a Conversation With the French Ambassador (Henry‑Haye)
[Extract]
[WASHINGTON,] November 4, 1940.
I spoke somewhat in general terms and
repeated our, frequent statement about the traditional friendship between
France and the United States and our anxious desire to preserve in the most
genuine manner that spirit of friendliness and of mutual cooperation in every
way that might be at all practicable and mutually desirable. I said that the
chief trouble seems to be that high‑ranking officials in the French
Government seem disposed to keep entirely away from this Government in most
everything that relates to normal relations, and at the same time to keep
extremely close to Hitler and to show every sympathetic interest in his plans
and purposes, revealing all the while the utmost antipathy toward Great Britain
and the cause for which she is fighting. I stated that this Government has the
usual normal relations with all other governments except those at Tokyo,
Berlin, Rome and Vichy; that I can always understand readily the attitude of
all the other governments and can get legitimate information promptly and
voluntarily from all of them with the exception of the four mentioned; that
Vichy, along with Tokyo, Berlin and Rome, is just the opposite in its
disposition to be frank and friendly. I said that I receive many rumors and
reports about the attitude of the Vichy Government contrary to the interests of
this country, but nothing direct, and I am obliged to look to other rumors and
reports, direct and indirect, coming through the press and through foreign
offices in various parts of the wald, in order to get any real grasp of what is
actually taking place at Vichy that is calculated seriously to affect this Government.
I added that the French Government in adopting this sort of attitude and
practice will not get two inches
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in carrying on its relations with the Government of the United States.
The Ambassador said he supposed I referred to Mr. Laval in connection with the
foregoing. I remarked that, of course, the Ambassador knew that the definite
impression created here and everywhere by Mr. Laval is that he is an extreme
partisan of Hitler and Mussolini and very bitter toward Great Britain; that he
is reported to favor strongly a permanent rejection of the so‑called
"old order" in Europe, and the embracing of Hitler's political,
social and other policies with totalitarian autarchy a basic part. I said that
Mr. Laval had the privilege of becoming an ally and associate of Hitler and the
monstrous things for which he stands, but that he must not imagine that this
Government does not know what his attitude and purpose are. I added that we
propose to be on our guard with respect to acts of the Vichy Government,
inspired by Mr. Laval, that are intended to aid by French connivance the
military activities of Hitler, such as the supplying of naval and air bases, or
other help given by the land, sea or air forces of France;. that in any event
this Government has had nothing resembling satisfactory information from the
French Government about what is really going on that would constitute
legitimate information to us from any government at. all disposed to be
friendly.
I then said that our Government thus far has
retained its high regard for Marshal Pétain and its anxious desire to be of
help to the French people to the fullest practical extent; that this Government
recognizes the unfortunate situation of France as a captive nation and it recognizes
to the fullest extent the duty of the French Government to conform to the
armistice terms along with other functions and requirements of a captive
nation, but that in so doing this Government maintains strongly its original
position that the French Government has no justification of any sort to render
the slightest military aid to Germany; that the French Government has no right
in its acts and utterances to go beyond and outside the armistice terms for the
purpose of making itself a partisan of Hitler, as between Hitler and nonbelligerent
countries, such as the United States, unless the French Government intends to
abandon its friendly relations with other nations which are antagonistic to
Hitler's movements of conquest.
The Ambassador stoutly contended that they
had no plan or purpose thus to go beyond their legitimate functions, as I had
described them, and he reiterated fairly often the attitude of his Government
to the effect that it would not in any circumstances lend aid to the military
plans of Hitler. I said that Mr. Laval may think that he can appease Mr. Hitler
just as others heretofore have imagined that they could appease him; that that
was his affair; that this Govern-
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ment, however, recognizing the great misfortune of the French Government
in not pursuing the long‑view objectives within sufficient time for its
safety, does not propose to trust Hitler for one split second to fall in with
any government on a course of appeasement; that the French Government,
therefore, should understand the position of this Government and its
determination to take no chances. I went onto say that this Government is not
remotely thinking about minor considerations between our two Governments, such
as freeing some French assets, etc., etc., but that it had a supreme and firm
purpose to have no relations with any government, such as that of Vichy, which
would give the slightest encouragement to Hitler, either directly or
indirectly. It is manifest, therefore, that, if Marshal Pétain feels aggrieved
at the President's recent message to him, [60] he might. well review and take
cognizance of Mr. Laval's extreme pro‑German plans and efforts, as
reported in various ways to this Government, and which have been concealed in
the main by the French Government, and only reached this Government to a
limited extent, directly or indirectly. I said that there must be a spirit of
candor and a willing disposition to confer back and forth with full exchanges
of information in a thoroughly accurate and candid manner, so that this
Government will know exactly what the Government of France is doing insofar as
it relates to possible aid to Hitler over and above the terms of the armistice
and the function and duty of a captive of war. I said it would be a mistake for
Marshal Pétain, knowing what is going on in his Government at the instance of
Mr. Laval, to expect good relations between our countries to continue to exist,
while he takes exception to any act or utterance of this Government in its
strong protest against the reported policies and purposes of Laval.
The Ambassador said that Mr. Laval was merely
attempting to procure the release of French prisoners and some other things
that would be helpful to France. I said that again there comes up the matter of
attempted appeasement of Hitler; that Hitler in the end would do what he
pleased with all of his captive nations, regardless of whether they offered him
gifts and other appeasement considerations; that he would take such nations
and then at some future time retake them if his past acts are to be judged
fairly; that this again brings back the question of rendering aid to Germany
over and above the terms of the armistice, and that the Government of France
must
[60] See docs. 187 and 189.
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understand that this Government is too much concerned about possible
future attacks by Hitler to acquiesce in the slightest with acts of the French
Government that would aid or encourage Hitler in still wider conquest,
especially in the direction of this hemisphere. It is on this broad position
that our Government rests its attitude toward France. This applies to
Martinique and other possessions. In the case of Martinique, for example, if
the French Government is in earnest about the absolute observance of the
temporary agreement between officials of this Government and those of the
French Government in regard to the status quo of Martinique, there should not
be the slightest hesitation on the part of the French Government to give to
this Government such assurances as would leave no doubt or uneasiness on the
part of this Government, such as removing some of the parts of the ships
anchored there, or a large portion of the seamen from the vessels, or to permit
American vessels to inspect the, properties at any reasonable time, such as
the airplanes and the gold. The Ambassador professed to agree entirely and
insisted that it should be done. I replied that we would see what happens with
respect to all the matters mentioned in our conversation.
C [ORDELL] H [ULL]