760F.62/863: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 16—4:40 p.m.]
203. My telegram 199, September 15, 7 p.m. The reaction in many circles here following Chamberlain’s announcement upon his return to London and the statement supposedly issued by the Wilhelmstrasse both of which were broadcast by the British Broadcasting Company is a cynical belief that Czechoslovakia has been “sold down the river” and that Hitler’s desires in this area will be met in one way or another. This, it is felt, will result in a very great diminution of tension and the only fear expressed is that the Czechs may not accept dismemberment and decide to resist. If such resistance is sufficiently effective and long enough drawn out there remains the possibility, if not the probability, of such a conflict growing into a general war.
In this connection the Minister in a private conversation with the Czech delegate this morning was given the personal view that French support could no longer be depended upon and that the failure of Great Britain and France clearly to make their intentions known long ago constituted the international crime in the circumstances since [Page 607] there would have been no difficulty in reaching an advantageous agreement with Germany at that time.
Code text to Paris, Berlin, London.