651.50/164: Telegram

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

[Extract]38

739.…

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5. China.

Daladier39 said that he felt the resistance of the Chinese to the Japanese was a magnificent and heartening example of courage and patriotism. As soon as he had become Prime Minister he had given orders to the French authorities in Indo-China to open the railroad completely to all shipments of planes and munitions to China. The Japanese had protested frequently and vigorously, and a Japanese Consul in Indo-China had gone so far as to say to the French General there that if the shipment of munitions through Indo-China should not be stopped Japan might have to make war. The French General had replied: “Come on and see what happens to you!” This had produced a very salutary effect. The Japanese Consul had left at once for Japan and had not returned.

Bullitt
  1. For text of sections 2 and 3 of this telegram, see Vol. i, pp. 493 and 192.
  2. Edouard Daladier, President of the French Council of Ministers.