740.0011 European War 1939/4861: Telegram
The Consul at Leopoldville (Mallon) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:05 a.m.]
With reference to my telegrams June 25 and 2915 and despatch No. 112, June 29,16 Pierre Boisson received notice of his appointment as High Commissioner for French West Africa and French Equatorial Africa and left for Dakar July 19 to take up his duties. General Husson named Governor General of French Equatorial Africa and contrary to expectations he has told British Consul General he will support the French Government in carrying out the terms of the armistice and will take orders from Dakar. He has bitterly criticized the British for action at Oran. The attitude of the civil authorities appears to have changed also. All this has greatly disappointed British liaison officers now at Leopoldville who had hoped that the French would cooperate in establishing a line of defense from Dakar to Malakal, Sudan.
The Governor General of the Belgian Congo is maintaining a strong pro-British attitude.
In reply to the Department’s telegram of July 2316 the Portuguese Consul General has been requested to take over Italian interests. He telegraphed his Government in June for authorization but has had no reply.