760F.62/1052: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—11:25 a.m.]
1569. I have just talked with both Bonnet and the British Ambassador. Neither has any exact information with regard to Chamberlain’s midnight conversation with Hitler.
Chamberlain left Godesberg at a quarter before 10 this morning. Neither the British Ambassador nor Bonnet expects to have any definite information until some hours after his arrival in London.
The outstanding question (as indicated in my 1564, September 23, 11 p.m.64) is whether Hitler should be permitted to occupy certain districts in the Sudeten area at once or should be required to wait. Bonnet said to me that he believed it would be folly to destroy the continent of Europe on the issue of whether Hitler took these districts on the 25th September or the 25th of October. The British Ambassador expressed exactly the same opinion. During the past 24 hours public opinion in France has strengthened greatly on the side of war in the event of attack on Czechoslovakia. If the decisions of the British Cabinet should be adverse to acceptance of Hitler’s demand I believe that Daladier would summon the French Parliament at once. Parliament could probably meet within 12 hours of the summons.
It would be necessary to summon Parliament because the Prime Minister under the French Constitution has no authority to order an attack against foreign soil or to issue a declaration of war except in case France is invaded, without a vote of Parliament.
Chautemps65 said to me last night that he had discussed this point with Daladier recently. Daladier had said to him that if the situation grew more critical he would use to the limit his powers to produce a partial mobilization but positively would not issue an order for general mobilization before he had a vote of Parliament authorizing him to declare war. He would not place himself in the ridiculous position of mobilizing the army and having it stand under arms pending a vote of the Chamber.
If the British Cabinet and the French should reject Hitler’s demand and German troops should attack Czechoslovakia there probably would be a period of about 12 hours before the French Parliament could vote in favor of war.
I have no doubt that if Germany should attack Czechoslovakia the French Parliament would vote for war.
[Page 642]I asked Bonnet for an opinion as to the chances of preserving peace. He replied that he thought there was still a small faint chance.
I know that you and the President have considered what action, if any, the Government of the United States should take to attempt to preserve peace if Chamberlain’s efforts should fail. Whatever may be momentary opinion in the United States I am certain that in the long run all Americans will feel that some effort by our Government is essential even though the effort may prove to be a failure.
I believe, therefore, that if you should receive definite word today that the British and French Governments have rejected Hitler’s demand and are ready to make war if Czechoslovakia is attacked, the President should issue an appeal to the Chiefs of State of England, France, Germany, Italy and Poland requesting them to send representatives at once to The Hague to discuss ways and means to preserve European peace and to strengthen the foundations of peace. I believe we should offer to send a representative to such a conference.
I believe that such an appeal should contain a strong warning against armies crossing frontiers. I consider it essential to include Poland in such a conference and equally essential not to include the Soviet Russian Government.
I believe that the President should issue such an appeal even though German troops should have crossed the frontiers of Czechoslovakia; and in that case should propose an immediate armistice on the basis that troops should not go forward from such positions as they have occupied.