740.0011 European War 1939/6601
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my telegram No. 124, of October 10, 3 PM and to report that General Weygand arrived by air at Algiers on October 9, 1940, to assume the post of “Delegate General of the French Government in French Africa.”
[Here follows a description of the official reception given to General Weygand.]
[Page 598]A good deal of curiosity has been evinced as to the motives which led to the General’s new appointment and as to the course of action which he will take.
All that is definitely known for the present is that he is making his headquarters at Algiers and is accompanied by a small personal staff. His title suggests that his authority is to be supreme throughout French Africa and that he is likely to combine the functions of inspector and executive. All the rumors that preceded his arrival agreed that he was coming “to organize resistance”.
Resistance to what? The question has received no answer. Probably his directives are to base himself on opportunity and the future course of events.
The French Government at Vichy is under control of the enemy but, it is possible that, in spite of the declaration of “loyalty to the conqueror” made by Mr. Baudoin [Baudouin],71 there may be an understanding that an attempt at German or Italian military occupation of French possessions in Africa should be opposed, if there were reasonable chances of success. Or it may be that the General is simply to attempt to moderate the encroaching attitude of the conquerors in Africa and especially of the Italians, who are reported as being much less correct and much more arrogant than the Germans. The fact that his first journey has been to Tunis lends support to this supposition.
Another point of view is that the General has come to smother the fairly silent pro-British attitude of great numbers in Algeria and to restrain those who although inactive and completely silent are nevertheless partisans of de Gaulle. There are a great many of these among all sections of the population, including the armed forces. His task would thus be “to oppose force with force,” which seems to have become the fighting slogan of the French Army, Navy, and Air Force, anywhere within reach in French Africa. It is reported as a “known” fact that the Vichy Government has no confidence now in General Noguès, Resident General of Morocco, and that his continuance in office, even though no longer in command of the troops there, is contrary to its official and manifested desires. A role of this sort would accord with General Weygand’s missions to Syria to reason with recalcitrant commanders after the Armistice.
Finally, there are whispers, alleged to emanate from Vichy, that in certain favorable circumstances the General himself would assume supreme command in French Africa and once more rally the Empire to a successful campaign, thereby enhancing French military prestige and ousting de Gaulle at the same time. Here it may be noted parenthetically [Page 599] that Algerians are thoroughly familiar with these whispering campaigns, excellently fitted in any case to lull to sleep any possible more vigorous reactions of patriotism.
Some indication supporting the possible authenticity of this view may be found in a statement recently made to me somewhat unexpectedly and at the speaker’s own initiative, by a highly placed official who came to Algeria definitely at the appointment of the Vichy Government as one of the new Governor General’s (Abrial’s) men. This was to the effect that “France is not finished yet. More will be heard from it later.”
In conclusion, after carefully grading my information, I am inclined to believe that the General’s policy in French Africa will be at first to oppose both the pro-British and the de Gaulle movements and thereafter will be based on opportunity.
Respectfully yours,
- Paul Baudouin, Minister for Foreign Affairs in the French (Vichy) Government.↩