740.0011 European War 1939/34879/10: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 13—11:30 p.m.]
1645. Personal for the President and the Secretary from Former Naval Person. Ambassador Kennedy will have told you about the British meeting today with the French at Tours of which I showed him our record. I cannot exaggerate its critical character. They were very nearly gone. Weygand had advocated an armistice while he still had enough troops to prevent France from lapsing into anarchy. Reynaud asked us whether in view of the sacrifice and sufferings of France we would release her from the obligation about not making a separate peace. Although the fact that we have unavoidably been largely out of this terrible battle weighed with us, I did not hesitate in the name of the British Government to refuse consent to an armistice or separate peace. I urged that this issue should not be discussed until a further appeal has been made by Reynaud to you and the United States, which I undertook to second. Agreement was reached on this and a much better mood prevailed for the moment with Reynaud and his Ministers.
Reynaud felt strongly that it would be beyond his power to encourage his people to fight on without hope of ultimate victory, and that [Page 251] hope could only be kindled by American intervention up to the extreme limit open to you. As he put it, they wanted to see light at the end of the tunnel.
While we were flying back here your magnificent message was sent and Ambassador Kennedy brought it to me on my arrival. The British Cabinet was profoundly impressed and desire me to express their gratitude for it, but, Mr. President, I must tell you that it seems to me absolutely vital that this message should be published tomorrow, June 14, in order that it may play the decisive part in turning the course of world history. It will I am sure decide the French to deny Hitler a patched-up peace with France. He needs this peace in order to destroy us and take a long step forward to world mastery. All the far-reaching plans, strategic, economic, political and moral, which your message expounds may be stillborn if the French cut out now. Therefore I urge that the message should be published now. We realize fully that the moment Hitler finds he cannot dictate a Nazi peace in Paris he will turn his fury on to us. We shall do our best to withstand it and if we succeed wide new doors are opened upon the future and all will come out even at the end of the day. [Former Naval Person.]