740.0011 European War 1939/7347⅔: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Matthews) to the Secretary of State 72
[Received January 1, 1941—2 p.m.]
1208. My 1205, December 31, noon.73 Chevalier asked me to call at 5 this afternoon. He said that he had seen the Marshal twice, once this morning, which was unfortunately in the presence of Flandin, and again alone this afternoon. At the first interview he said there had been much discussion but he could not of course go into details. At the second the Marshal had told him exactly what to reply through me.
As for the message contained in the Department’s telegram 899,74 the Marshal was deeply touched and desired to express his appreciation to “Lord Halifax” that the British were “considering the possibility of relaxing somewhat the blockade” as the question is one of the greatest importance to France. As to the message contained in the Department’s telegram 898,75 Chevalier quoted the Marshal’s exact words: “We have not received it.” Chevalier himself pointed out that there was a distinction between this answer and a statement that the message “was not receivable. [”] (My paraphrase he said had been burned at once.)
He then expanded somewhat and said that the Marshal’s reactions had been exactly the same as his, as he knew they would be. He had [Page 435] carefully explained to the Marshal in reply to the latter’s inquiries that the message did not come from our Government, that I had made no comment thereon and that he likewise had made no comment to me nor shown me any reaction (which is quite accurate as reported in my No. 1205). He went on to say that in case of any future messages he would deliver them only in the presence of the Marshal alone and that it was unfortunate that Flandin had been there, but since the Marshal had asked him to be present as the matter concerned foreign fields, he had not felt it possible to object. Chevalier’s sentiments toward the British were well known and they were shared by the Marshal, he said. They both had the greatest esteem for Lord Halifax. There were however limits beyond which they could not go and for one thing they could not stand for De Gaulle or his movement.
France is at present completely “under the German boot” and for the moment there is certainly nothing she can do. It is considerably embarrassing to him for the BBC to quote from his works and make public radio appeals to him, as the only possible result will be German insistence on his separation from the Cabinet. “Then,” he said, “the Marshal would be alone which is certainly not what the British want.”
It is likewise time, he said, that people disabuse themselves of the feeling that the Marshal or he himself would ever under any circumstances remove to North Africa. He had discussed the question a number of times with the Marshal and they were both resolved that their duty lay in France whatever might happen, whether the country is completely occupied or not. I should like to add parenthetically my own conviction that the Marshal, come what may, will stick to his Bordeaux resolution never personally to leave metropolitan France. What action he might under certain circumstances advise the fleet or colonies to take I do not know.
The Germans, he said, had several times threatened him with occupation of the country if he did not remove or replace certain Alsatian professors and he had each time firmly told them he could not do what they wanted; the threat had proved empty. “They do not occupy the rest of the country,” he said, “solely because it is not to their advantage to do so.” In conclusion he reiterated his desire to maintain the best possible relations with the British that existing circumstances would permit and his approval of the transmission of the messages “from Lord Halifax and our friend Dupuy” through the same channel. (Incidentally he said the Marshal found Dupuy “nice but ingratiating.”)
Flandin’s reaction to our by-passing him I have not yet learned. Chevalier said, however, that his colleague did not seem pleased with his, Chevalier’s, role as intermediary.
- The text of this telegram, except for parenthetical remarks, was transmitted to the Chargé in the United Kingdom as Department’s telegram No. 13, January 2, 1941, 5 p.m.↩
- Not printed; it reported delivery of message to M. Chevalier contained in telegram No. 4232, December 28, 11 p.m., p. 432.↩
- December 29, 2 p.m., not printed; it contained a preliminary favorable reply to a Vichy proposal for the meeting of British and French experts in Madrid. (740.0011 European War 1939/7346a)↩
- See footnote 69, p. 432.↩