740.0011 European War 1939/33522/8: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 28—8:20 p.m.]
928. For the President and Secretary. I had a long discussion on the present situation with Daladier today.
He said that the reaction of the entire French people to the treachery of the King of the Belgians had been superb. Morale in France had never been higher than today and the determination to carry on the war whatever the cost had never been stronger (this is entirely true).
He went on to say that war nowadays unfortunately was no longer a question of the human spirit but a question of machines. An enormous proportion of French war material had been destroyed by the Germans or captured by them.
He was convinced that the French would fight on with a spirit which would command the admiration of the world but whether they could fight on successfully with the material that remained in their hands was another question.
He felt certain that if Italy should attack either in North Africa which was now virtually defenseless or with bombing planes on the Riviera and Marseille which were totally denuded of planes the destruction of France would be rapid.
He therefore appealed to me once more to attempt to obtain some action from the United States which would prevent Italy’s entry into the war. Words and sympathy were all very well but at this moment acts were needed. The act which he felt could prevent action by [Page 237] Mussolini would be the sending of the Atlantic fleet to the Mediterranean. Short of that he saw nothing.
It was sad that civilization in the world should fall because a great nation with a great President could simply talk.