882.20/439
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)
The French Ambassador came to see me this morning to inquire about recent conversations that had taken place in Monrovia between the Liberian Secretary of State and the French Chargé d’Affaires at that capital. It appears that the French Government has been advised that inquiry has been made of its Chargé d’Affaires in Monrovia with a view to ascertaining to what extent France would be able to assist Liberia in the event of war.
I informed the Ambassador of the earlier phases of this matter as they had been brought to the attention of the Department shortly after the Munich Conference. The Liberian Government had at that time instructed its Secretary of the Treasury to proceed to Europe with a view to initiating negotiations for a tripartite agreement designed to give Liberia assurance that in time of war Great Britain [Page 566] and France would furnish Liberia aerial, naval and other protection. The Liberian Government had at the time expressed the hope that this Government would look with favor upon the proposed plan.
Upon being advised of the above development and in view of the uncertainty of the situation prevailing in Europe at that moment, the Department expressed its doubts that any useful purpose would be served by approaching the British and French Governments in the matter at that time.
Subsequently the Department was informed that on February 22, last, the French Chargé d’Affaires called upon the Liberian Secretary of State and, after referring to the alliance between France and Great Britain, stated that in the event either of their possessions in West Africa were attacked they would jointly defend each other. The French Chargé d’Affaires then inquired informally of the Liberian Secretary of State as to what actual military resistance, if any, the Liberian Government would be able to make in the event of war and if Liberia were attacked by Germany.
In communicating the above information to our Legation in Monrovia the view was expressed by the Liberian Government that in its own interests as an independent state Liberia should either make adequate arrangement to defend itself against a possible attack or correlate its defenses with those of the two governments whose frontiers join those of Liberia.
In view of the Liberian Government’s request for any suggestion which this Government might consider it proper to give in the light of the above developments, the Department had instructed the American Minister in Monrovia to state that it had no objection to any arrangement that might be entered into by the three governments concerned for the defensive assistance of Liberia.
I asked the Ambassador whether he had any idea as to what sort of steps his Government might be prepared to take to assist Liberia in case of any serious threat from one of the totalitarian powers. The Ambassador stated that he had no detailed information on the subject and believed, furthermore, that it would be difficult if not impossible for France to detach any portion of its fleet to guard the Liberian coast against invasion. He believed, on the other hand, that in case of war both the British and French Governments would be obliged to take all necessary steps to prevent the establishment of hostile submarine or air bases in Liberia, and in that connection he considered it very important that the Liberians should be on the alert and should keep the British and French Governments promptly advised of any suspicious developments. He added in conclusion that he presumed it would be generally understood that neither France nor Great Britain has any designs whatsoever on Liberian territory.