740.0011 European War 1939/30051/10: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:53 p.m.]
1237. Personal for the President and Secretary. Churchill has flown to Paris to try and strengthen the French morale. The situation is deadly acute. The French are not even fighting on the line. If the French persist in present course of action my friend does not believe that England can fight alone and therefore there will be another fight in the Government because Churchill said he will fight until England is burnt to the ground.
(See my 1211, May 15, 2 a.m.80)
The English feel the real reason for the French funk is the air bombardment of civilian population. The English bombed the Ruhr last night and today there was a row in the Cabinet over the sending of more planes to France. Churchill wanted to send a substantial number of squadrons, leaving the position here rather precarious. They finally compromised on sending four squadrons, which some people in the Government feel are too many at this time since the [Page 225] Germans will definitely return last night’s engagement unless they decide to finish off their present job in Belgium and take care of England later on.
Assuming the French do not stiffen up, the President might start considering what he can do to save an Allied débacle but it is not beyond the realm of reason that this crackup can come like a stroke of lightning and any action to be effective must be conceived now. My friend thinks nothing can save them from absolute defeat unless the President with some touch of genius and God’s blessing can do it.
This information is absolutely reliable.